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Press Releases

Nov. 18, 2024

Give Thanks for These Holiday Travel Tips

PHX to give holiday passengers early show of gratitude

 PHOENIX – The Thanksgiving holiday is approaching, so now’s the time to start planning your trip.

Thanksgiving is historically the busiest travel period of the year in the air and on the roads at America’s Friendliest Airport® and our roadways will be very busy the Wednesday before and the weekend after Thanksgiving.

To avoid congestion on airport roadways and outside terminals, here are some tips to help make the busy holiday travel season easy as pie.

  • Pick up or drop off passengers on either end of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at the 24th Street or 44th Street PHX Sky Train® Stations. The 24th Street Station is a great option for passengers arriving from the west, and the 44th Street Station is ideal for travelers arriving from the east. Learn more about the PHX Sky Train®.
  • Drivers should watch signs on surrounding freeways for airport traffic updates and recommended alternate routes. They should also watch their speed and keep an eye out for officers directing traffic once at Phoenix Sky Harbor. Avoid circling the terminals and use the Cell Phone Lots located east of Terminal 4, west of the West Economy Garage and at the 44th Street PHX Sky Train® Station.

To help reduce the stress that comes with holiday travel, we offer the return of the 12 Days of Gratitude, a special program to treat travelers with fun activities during the holiday travel season. This year it begins early, Nov. 19, and concludes after 12 days of giveaways on Dec. 19. See skyharbor.com/12daysofgratitude for more information.

Here are some additional travel tips for travelers:

  • Reserve your parking before your trip at skyharbor.com/parking. Even with a reservation, give yourself time to navigate the busy lots and higher passenger volumes.
  • Double-check what’s in your bags. Make sure to look through your bags and review the TSA Prohibited Items List the night before your flight.
  • TSA has an exhaustive list of holiday-related food items that can be brought aboard a plane, including tamales (yes), alcoholic beverages more than 140 proof (no), gravy (yes, if less than or equal to 3.4 ounces/100 ml), cast iron cookware (checked bags only) and live lobsters (check with your airline.) See more at the TSA "What Can I Bring?" page for more.
  • Remember to check your flight status with your airline before coming to the airport for your flight or to pick up or drop off a loved one. If you are flying domestically, arrive at least two hours prior to your flight departure and three hours if you are traveling internationally.
  • Passengers can reserve a time to go through the TSA Security Checkpoint by using the PHX RESERVE program. Schedule your time prior to arriving at the airport on our website. Reservations can be made up to six days in advance.
  • Visit the interactive maps on skyharbor.com on your smartphone or tablet to find out which restaurants and shops are near your gate as well as other airport information.
  • Look for our Navigators dressed in purple. These volunteers serve all over the airport by providing directions, information, and friendly assistance, truly making this America’s Friendliest Airport®.
  • Travelers with special needs can arrange to pick up a Compassion Cacti™ lanyard prior to their trip, and even schedule a Navigator Guide to accompany them through the travel process. The Compassion Cacti™ lanyard signals to airport employees that a customer may need extra assistance or time as they pass through Phoenix Sky Harbor.
  • As always, explore some local art. Both terminals showcase art exhibitions created by talented Arizona painters, photographers, sculptors, and other artists. These beautiful Phoenix Airport Museum exhibitions can be seen both before and after security.

 

For more travel tips, visit www.skyharbor.com/flying-from-phx/travel-tips.

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Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, America’s Friendliest Airport®, has an annual economic impact of more than $44 billion. On an average day, more than 1,000 aircraft and more than 130,000 passengers arrive at and depart from Phoenix Sky Harbor every day. PHX Sky Harbor is funded with airport revenue. No tax dollars are used to support the airport.