With construction at Sacramento airport, officials give these holiday travel, parking tips
Officials at Sacramento International Airport have seen a steady increase of travelers in recent months and expect one of the busiest stints of the year next week for Thanksgiving.
They want travelers, and those picking them up or dropping them off, to take extra time given the heavy traffic and construction around the airport.
“The one key thing that we try to tell everybody is, if you allow enough time, you’ll be fine,” airport spokesman Scott Johnston said.
Johnston recommended travelers arrive 2 1/2 hours before takeoff time for domestic flights due to the increased traffic beginning this weekend through the weekend after Thanksgiving. Particularly for those parking their cars at the airport who will rely on parking shuttles to get them to their terminals. He recommended an additional half hour to an hour for international travel.
The airport began construction on a new parking garage near Terminal B that will add roughly 5,500 spaces. But those won’t be available until 2026, and spots in the garage near Terminal A fill up quickly early in the morning.
“The economy lots are really going to be the only available lots, because the other lots fill up very quickly,” Johnston said. “We’re telling folks if you’re coming and you’re going to park at the airport, just plan on going straight to the economy lots. The other lots, they fill up so fast, that chances are by the time you here, they’re full.”
The turnoffs for the economy lots are on Crossfield Drive off of Airport Boulevard, well before the two airport terminals and parking garages. The exit for Crossfield is just after the Arco and ampm gas station on the right side.
The airport’s parking website is regularly updated with the number of available parking spots in each lot. Johnston recommends checking the website regularly because parking conditions can change quickly. The daily lots cost $13 per day and the economy lot is $11. There are also links to updated shuttle schedules for each lot.
“The parking situation is a little tricky right now,” Johnston said. “We’ll always have a place for you to park, but the parking space that you may be used to parking in may not be available this time.”
Using a ride sharing app like Uber or Lyft could save time and also costs roughly the same amount as parking, depending on the length of a trip.
“The bottom line is, if our passengers can find another way to get to the airport, and you can eliminate the elements of having to park, then that’s really going to save you a lot of stress and a lot of time,” Johnston said.
For those picking up passengers, the airport moved its free waiting area, or cell phone lot, to a more accessible area just off Airport Blvd. near the gas station. Drivers should exit Airport Boulevard toward the gas station and then find the lot on the right. The previous waiting area has become the west economy lot off Crossfield Drive.
Johnston said it helps ease traffic if those picking up people at the airport would head to the waiting area first. During busy periods it can take travelers 30 to 35 minutes to get off their plane, get their bags and get to the pickup area.
“If you get there early, then you’re going to have to keep doing loops, which causes traffic and burns gas,” Johnston said. “So the free waiting area is a good resource.”
Johnston continued to recommend using TSA Precheck or Clear to expedite the security process once inside the airport. For those traveling with gifts, he said people should avoid wrapping them until after their flights.
“Don’t put gift wrap on your presents,” he said, “because that makes them harder to screen. And another tip, along those same lines, if you’re concerned that maybe what you’re trying to bring in your carry-on isn’t going to pass through security, then you go TSA.gov and they have a link that’s called ‘What can I bring?’ You just put in the item, and it’ll tell you whether you can bring it or not, and that will save a lot of time.”
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 11:17 AM.
