Oakland, CA – (Nov. 21, 2018): Officials at Oakland International Airport said that 48,000 travelers are expected to pass through its terminals today, anticipating the busiest Thanksgiving travel day to be this Sunday, with 51,000 travelers. The 11-day Thanksgiving holiday travel period between Friday, November 16th and Monday, November 26th, includes a projected estimated total of 453,719 travelers at OAK.
“We are pleased to welcome travelers to OAK for what is anticipated industry-wide as the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record,” said Port of Oakland Aviation Director, Bryant L. Francis. “I’m particularly pleased to see that our numbers remain strong going in to end of the calendar year, reflecting confidence from our customers and airline partners.”
Customers may appreciate some noticeable improvements during this year’s holiday travels at OAK. Just last week in OAK’s Terminal 2, Kaiser Permanente unveiled the largest “Living Wall” at a US airport. The 1,500-sq. ft. installation features air-cleansing plants above OAK’s Terminal 2 Security Checkpoint, ambient nature sounds emitted from hanging illuminated clouds, and post-security hydration stations with coconut-oxygenated water.
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.
- Keep your boarding pass and ID handy. Passengers 18 years of age and older should be prepared to present a valid photo ID (such as a driver’s license or passport) at the checkpoints and ticket counters.
- 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 the curbside, those arriving at OAK using TNC operators such as Lyft, Uber, and Wingz may notice additional changes. The location of the Transportation Network Companies (TNC) Pick-up Area has been relocated from Curb 2E to Curb 3C. This curbside space usage realignment provides additional space for TNC Pick-ups at OAK, reduces curbside congestion, improve traffic flow, and upgrade the overall customer experience at OAK.
Media Contact: Robert Bernardo | 510-563-6500 | Rbernardo @portoakland.com
About Oakland International Airport
Oakland International is the fourth busiest airport in California and second busiest in the San Francisco Bay Area. Serving over 13 million travelers annually, OAK is the closest airport to the region’s top business and tourism venues. It is also the closest airport for most local residents. Oakland’s air service roster to over 60 destinations is scheduled on 12 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.
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