These are the busiest Thanksgiving travel days from Sacramento airport and best days to fly
Sacramento International Airport had its second-busiest month is history this summer — signaling travel’s recovery from pandemic lows. With holiday travel ahead of us, you can expect it to be busier than the past few years, so be prepared and get there early.
Nerdwallet, a personal finance company, analyzed three years of checkpoint travel numbers provided by the Transportation Security Administration. It then determined the best and worst days to travel during this Thanksgiving holiday season.
Here are the best and worst days to travel across the United States, according to Nerdwallet, plus the busiest expected dates at SMF and tips to make your trip easier:
Best and worst days to travel
The best day to travel during the upcoming holiday is Thanksgiving Day, and the worst day to travel is the Sunday after, according to Nerwallet’s analysis of data from 2019 to 2021.
Sacramento sees the most travelers on Nov. 21, 22 and 23, said Scott Johnston, an airport spokesman, in an email to The Bee.
Crowds have continued to be larger on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, according to Nerdwallet. Travelers during the 2021 Thanksgiving holiday saw larger crowds the Sunday after Thanksgiving than traveling on Thanksgiving Day, with an increase of 77%.
It’s all going to be busy, but here are the dates in order of least to most crowded:
- Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24
- Wednesday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 30
- Friday after Thanksgiving (Black Friday), Nov. 25
- Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Giving Tuesday), Nov. 29
- Saturday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 19
- Monday before, Nov. 21
- Tuesday before, Nov. 22
- Sunday before, Nov. 20
- Cyber Monday, Nov. 28
- Friday before, Nov. 18
- Saturday after, Nov. 26
- Wednesday before, Nov. 23
- Sunday after, Nov. 27
When should I arrive at Sacramento airport?
The best rule of thumb if traveling from SMF, during the holidays, is to arrive with plenty of time to spare, wrote Johnston in an email.
“During this time of year, SMF recommends that travelers arrive at least 2.5 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight,” Johnston said in an email.
Having plenty of time to check in and find parking is crucial when traveling. SMF provides five parking lots with different daily rates that can all be monitored online.
Alternatively, being dropped off at the airport is a great way to not deal with parking headaches. Johnston said he encourages SMF travelers to consider taking public transportation, a taxi or rideshare.
Keep in mind, rideshare and taxi prices are less predictable than parking.
Do you arrive early or push the limits on time at SMF? Share your tips with us at utilityteam@sacbee.com.
This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 11:49 AM.