If you’re a frequent Portland International Airport traveler, you may be accustomed to breezing through the security line in less than 10 minutes. With Thanksgiving just days away, however, holiday travel swings into full gear and you will likely need twice that amount of time to get through security, especially for those early morning flights.
With more than 60,000 travelers on each of the peak travel days (Nov. 20, 21, 25, and 26)—and a total of 384,000 travelers expected over seven days—this holiday period will set a record for PDX. Headed toward its sixth year of record passenger traffic growth, the airport anticipates ending the year serving almost 20 million travelers, roughly 4 percent more than last year.
And, lest the myth linger, while busy, neither the day before Thanksgiving, nor the Sunday following the holiday are the busiest travel days of the year at PDX. This year, that distinction went to Thursday, Aug. 2 when 71,000 travelers passed through PDX—the busiest day ever.
Nationally, Airlines for America’s Thanksgiving Air Travel Forecast notes 2018 will be the busiest ever, with an anticipated 30.6 million travelers nationwide, a 5.7 percent increase over last Thanksgiving’s travel period.
A few timely travel reminders:
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- Planning to park at the airport? Prior to leaving home, check parking availability to see if there’s ample parking in your preferred lot. Parking is expected to be available at PDX throughout the holiday season, though some lots may reach capacity.
- Traveling with an animal? To better align with airlines’ rules, PDX changed airport rules related to traveling with animals. Except for trained service animals, all animals (including dogs and other kinds of animals that provide emotional support) are only allowed in the airport if traveling with their owner or being shipped by air. These animals must be kept in pet carriers, except when using the pet relief area. If an animal cannot fit in a pet carrier, it must be carried; otherwise, if too large, it must be on a leash. If you plan to travel with an animal, read up on the rules before you fly.
- Flying internationally? PDX now accepts Mobile Passport, which simplifies some of the paperwork when you return to PDX from an international trip. While the app doesn't replace your passport, it saves you time in line and eliminates paper forms.
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