More than 700K fliers expected at San Diego Airport during holiday travel week

Christelle Koumoué
·2 min read

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego International Airport (SAN) expects to see more than 700,000 people arriving and departing during the upcoming winter holiday travel week which runs from just before Christmas Day through New Year’s Day.

Saturday, Dec. 23, and Saturday, Dec. 30, are anticipated to be the busiest days travel days of the holiday week. The airport anticipates approximately 80,000 people will travel through the SAN each day that week.

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With that in mind, passengers are urged to plan ahead before heading to the airport.

Here are a few suggested tips for travelers:

  • Check your flight status. Before coming to the airport, be sure to check with your airline to confirm your flight time.

  • Arrive early.

  • Expect traffic congestion due to construction on the roadways approaching the airport and in front of the existing Terminal 1.

  • Plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight. Busiest times curbside are 4 a.m. to 6:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.

  • Make parking reservations.

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Airport officials also encourage travelers to take San Diego Flyer, a free shuttle bus service between the Old Town Transit Station and SAN. The electric shuttle buses operate seven days a week, with an average arrival time of every 20 to 30 minutes. The first pick up is at 4:45 a.m. and the last pick up/drop off at 12:30 a.m.

With construction underway on the new Terminal 1 parking structure, which is scheduled to open in late 2024, on-airport parking is extremely limited.

Parking is currently available at the Terminal 2 Parking Plaza. Anyone planning to park at the airport is advised to make reservations in advance.

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