Flying from Knoxville's airport this holiday season? 15 ways to prepare for holiday travel
Knoxville's airport is getting busier, and the holiday season each November and December is a peak time for crowds. The days before and after major holidays are especially hectic at McGhee Tyson Airport, as families and friends crisscross the country to celebrate.
"The crush of holiday travel really culminates in Thanksgiving, that week before and a couple of days after," said Becky Huckaby, vice president of public relations at the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority.
The season also raises specific questions, like, how should I pack gifts? Or, how do I pack light, even in winter?
Here are 15 tips to get you through Knoxville's airport and onward to your holiday celebrations with ease.
More: Knoxville's airport moves forward with $180 million parking garage as lots fill up fast
What time should I get to the airport for holiday travel?
Just like getting more sleep prevents a range of health issues, getting to the airport early prevents a range of travel issues. And showing up at least two hours ahead of departure time isn't just for Airport Dads during the holidays.
Even at a small hub airport like McGhee Tyson, parking is tight, ticket counters get busy and TSA security lines get long.
"Making sure you give yourself plenty of time, even if you don't historically have to do that, is important," Huckaby said.
Many airlines will not accept checked bags once you're 60 or 30 minutes away from departure time. TSA lines can be held up if bags need to be checked or IDs aren't produced quickly. Airport staff can help address some issues, but the more time you give them and yourself, the less rushed and anxious your experience will be.
Download the airline app and MyTSA app
There's an app for everything, and airlines and TSA are no exception.
Make sure you know which airline you are flying with and download its app.
Five airlines service McGhee Tyson, and each has a free app that allows you to check in online, keep a mobile boarding pass and get alerts if there's a change to your flight:
Some airline apps even tell you when your bag has made it onto your aircraft. And when you're ready for another trip, you can book through apps as well.
The MyTSA app allows you to see how busy the airport is likely to be at your travel time, which items you can and can't bring through security and information about delays. You can also get live assistance from TSA on any security questions.
Get TSA PreCheck to save time
Who doesn't love a shorter line? About 99% of passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck wait less than 10 minutes in security lines, according to the agency. Through the program, passengers don't have to take off their shoes or remove laptops and liquids from their bags, making for a faster experience.
After filling out an online application, you can visit the enrollment center at 9080 Barbee Lane Suite 102 in West Knoxville to finish the process, which includes fingerprinting. A 5-year enrollment costs $78, and you will get a special ID number to add to airline reservations. Children 17 and younger can join PreCheck with an adult if it's listed on their boarding pass.
Travel on holidays and avoid peak travel dates
Holidays themselves are almost always less busy than all the days surrounding them. Flights on holidays also may be available at a lower price.
If you can, avoid traveling on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the busiest travel day of the year, or the Wednesday before. Flying on Thanksgiving Day may not seem ideal, but it will get you through the airport with smaller crowds and fewer headaches.
The same goes for Christmas. Dec. 16, Dec. 21 and Dec. 30 were the busiest days surrounding the holiday in 2022, according to TSA checkpoint data.
Travel early or late
The earliest and latest flights of the day may require you to set your alarm hours before you normally get up or endure a red eye that lands in the early morning. The reward is a cheaper flight and a less busy airport.
If you can catch a few hours of sleep on the plane, you likely won't regret the ease of navigating the airport or saving a few hundred dollars.
Check McGhee Tyson website for flight info
Knoxville's airport keeps arrival and departure times and other flight information on its website at flyknoxville.com/flights. Even if you aren't the one traveling, this is the easiest way to see what time your loved ones are expected at their destination.
You can also see if a flight has been delayed, find airline contact information and see all destinations that McGhee Tyson services.
Know McGhee Tyson's parking options and availability
At flyknoxville.com, you can also see how full the short-term lot, long-term lot and economy lots are.
Though their names suggest a difference in how long you keep your car there, the only difference between the short-term and long-term parking is their distance from the terminal building and their price.
With historically low parking spaces relative to demand, how full a lot is could change even as you drive to the airport. Be aware that if you bring a car, you might have to walk at least 15 minutes to get to the terminal building. The economy lots on the other side of the Hilton are serviced by a shuttle.
Short-term lot: $22 per day
Long-term lot: $16 per day
Economy lot: $11 per day
The airport also offers hourly parking for $3 an hour up to the daily rate.
Pack light, even in winter
Layering rather than bulking is the trick to getting those sweaters, coats and jackets to your destination. Bring light sweaters and jackets that fold and compress easily. If you do bring a bulky jacket, wear it as you travel so you don't have to pack it.
Make good use of your free personal item, like a small backpack, which can fit many items if packed smartly and tightly. Rolling clothes is a good option.
There are many benefits to only bringing a carry-on bag. It's cheaper, and in many cases free, to bring a carry-on bag. Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines, two popular low-cost carriers at McGhee Tyson, charge per carry-on bag, but American, Delta and United Airlines do not.
Additionally, large checked luggage must be dropped off at a ticket counter, extending your airport wait times. Pack lightly to avoid going without your stuff and be aware of bag fees and size limitations for each airline.
Ship gifts
Any necessary items like prescription medication and toiletries you use daily should be kept in your carry-on bag to ensure they stay with you.
Small or medium gifts should also be taken in a carry-on, so you don't risk losing them. If you are bringing gifts in a carry-on bag, try to leave them unwrapped so TSA agents don't open them for you. Unless you brought them a gift to help them through a stressful time! (More on that later.)
For bigger gifts, shipping them to your destination or directly to the recipient is easier than using expensive space in a checked bag. You can usually have them gift-wrapped for delivery.
If you feel fine with last-minute holiday shopping, you can wait to get gifts until you reach your destination and take advantage of big sales along the way.
Check in online to avoid the ticket counter
More travelers are checking in online before getting to the airport, and for good reason. Movies teach us that ticket counters are sites of frustration, yelling and broken relationships. Don't make your life imitate art.
Most airlines allow you to check in 24 hours before departure, but some allow you to check in earlier. Once you get to the airport, you can use automated kiosks to print out your ticket and tags for checked bags, but even these can get backed up at peak times. Keeping a mobile ticket and packing only a carry-on will allow you to skip these time vortexes altogether.
Get travel size containers for toiletries
The most commonly confiscated item at TSA lines are large liquid, gel and aerosol containers. Keep your toiletries to 3.4 fluid ounces or smaller and put them in a quart-sized clear, zip-top bag. Travel-sized toiletry containers are available at major retailers like Walmart, Target and Amazon.
While we're talking confiscated items, please don't bring a firearm in a carry-on bag. TSA reported a record number of confiscated firearms last year. Unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container are permitted in checked bags, so long as you let the airline know when you check in. They certainly are not allowed in the passenger section of an airplane, and you'll back up security lines greatly if you try, becoming the airport pariah.
Bring an empty water bottle and snacks
You can bring an empty water bottle through security and fill it up at McGhee Tyson's filtered water bottle filling stations in the terminal. This will save money on expensive bottled water and help the environment.
You can also bring snacks with you through security, even though the airport's restaurants, like Ruby Tuesday and Quiznos Subs, are expected to operate at their normal hours over the holidays.
Reserve Uber or taxi ahead of time
For those who don't want to bring a car, ride sharing services like Uber, Lyft and taxis are available at the airport and can be booked ahead of time so you aren't left in a bind. Especially if you are arriving or taking off late at night, there's no guarantee a driver will be available at all times of day, so it's best to reserve ahead of time.
Rental cars should also be booked ahead of time, in case one isn't available at a busy time.
It also might be easier to have a friend or family member drop you off and pick you up. McGhee Tyson has a free Phone and Wait Lot adjacent to the long-term lot where drivers can wait in their cars until they get a call from a passenger to arrange a pick-up location.
Request assistance through airline ahead of time
For those needing extra assistance like a wheelchair or captioned flight safety videos, assistance should be requested through an airline rather than the airport alone.
McGhee Tyson staff can help a person navigate their airport, but an airline can ensure those with disabilities of various kinds get help through their entire travel experience. Check your airline's website to see what assistance it offers and to request assistance.
Be kind to airport staff and flight crews
It should go without saying, but the holidays are stressful for workers, and it isn't hard to spread a little cheer by showing kindness to airport staff and flight crews.
"Remember that their primary goal is to get you there on time and to get you there safely," said Kim Yarnell, a customer service representative at McGhee Tyson.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in August that unruly passenger behavior had decreased 80% since an all-time high in early 2021 in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, reports of passengers yelling at and physically assaulting air crews continue.
Instead of simply behaving well, why not go above and beyond and bring airport staff and flight crews a little holiday gift of their own?
"Take them a little something," Yarnell said. "It will always make somebody's day."
Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville airport tips to prepare for holiday travel
