SAN ANTONIO – If you're looking for a sign that the holidays are quickly approaching, just head over to San Antonio International Airport, where the hustle and bustle of the holiday traveling season has begun.
The holidays are the busiest time of the year for airports, and San Antonio International is no exception.
“Today starts the busiest time of the year for us. It’s the holiday peak travel. It begins today and runs through Dec. 2. We anticipate almost 300,000 people,” said Rich Stinson, airport strategic communications manager.
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Stinson said the anticipated amount of travelers is up 5% from last year. He said extra staff will be on hand and vendors have stocked up with extra inventory to accommodate the large crowds.
But passengers need to do their part to ensure a safe trip.
“Everything’s very laid out for, like, a few days before, and I send myself texts to remind myself. I’m like, ‘Hey, you need this,’” said April Butler, who flew in Friday from Birmingham, Alabama.
“You have to make sure that things are straight at the office and make sure people know that you’re going to be out of town,” said Michael Moten, who was flying to California.
If travelers want to double down on preparations, they can use airline apps to check in to their flight before they arrive at the airport. They can also check online for delays.
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Once all that’s out if the way, you can focus on the reason for the hustle and bustle — the trip.
“The River Walk, some of the neat things downtown, the Alamo, the historic places,” Butler said.
The busiest day of the year is expected to be the day before Thanksgiving, but Stinson said TSA security checkpoints at the airport average about 8 to 12 minutes and never exceed 20 minutes.