Airport Welcomes Holiday Season with a Busy Thanksgiving

Oakland International Airport Anticipates Strong Travel Numbers

Oakland, CA – November 24, 2015: Adding to the joy of the holidays this year, Oakland International Airport is celebrating the milestone of a full year of offering BART service into the airport, the one millionth BART rider into the airport, and robust airline travel numbers.

Travelers between now and the end of the year should expect full flights at peak times at OAK. This Thanksgiving season, the fast growing airport is expecting almost 400,000 airline passengers during the five days before and after the holiday. This is up 9% from the same period in 2014, which saw a 6% increase from 2013.

“The airport now has more nonstop destinations than ever, and we are pleased to now offer service to record high of 49 destinations from Oakland,” said Acting Director of Aviation Kristi McKenney.

This year, OAK will once again offer great value for those who choose to park at the airport and fly. Over the holiday period there will be plenty of on-airport parking available for travelers with several parking deals and coupons available online.
For added savings and convenience this season, travelers with holiday trips to Europe or Hawaii can park at OAK for free for up to 5 days.   To take advantage of this special offer, travelers must visit oaklandairport.com/parkfree and follow instructions for easy enrollment.

Holiday travelers can also take advantage of other discounted online parking offers, including $4 off each day in the Economy lot (long-term) and $8 off per day in the Premier, Hourly or Daily lots (short-term) over the holiday. Visit oaklandairport.com/parking for details.

Other ground transportation options include BART, AC Transit, regional shuttles, taxis and limousines, and ride-sharing services such as Lyft and Uber. Visit 511.org for personalized travel planning services.

READY FOR TAKE-OFF
To make travel as worry-free as possible, OAK offers these holiday travel tips:

• Check flight status before heading to the airport. Save time at the airport and check-in online from your airline’s website. Be sure to confirm your flight times and details.
• Arrive early. Plan to arrive 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure time for domestic flights and two hours prior for international departures and flights to Hawaii to allow for increased passenger volume at airline check-in and security screening. More time could be needed based on weather and busy traffic times.
• Keep your boarding pass and ID handy. Passengers should be prepared to present a valid photo ID (such as a driver’s license or passport) at the checkpoints and ticket counters.
• Do not wrap gifts. If a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) needs to inspect a wrapped gift in your checked or carry-on luggage, they may have to unwrap it. So, plan to wrap gifts after arriving at your destination—or better yet, ship them ahead.
• Pack liquids separately. Passengers who pack liquids or gels as carry-on baggage are limited to amount of 3 ounces or less. Such items should be packed in a single re-sealable quart-size plastic bag, with one per traveler.

On behalf of the Oakland International Airport, we wish you a happy, healthy and joyous holiday season.

About Oakland International Airport
Oakland International is the fourth largest airport in California and second largest in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 11 million travelers each year, OAK is the closest airport to the region’s top tourism and entertainment venues. It is also the closest for most local residents.

The airport currently offers air service to 49 destinations on 13 different airline brands – seven of which operate with OAK as their sole gateway into the San Francisco Bay region.

The vision of Oakland International Airport is to offer customers a world-class experience and be the airport of choice for Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by The Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.

For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details on shopping, dining, transportation, and more, visit www.iflyoak.com.

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