Flying from the Lowcountry over Thanksgiving? Here’s what to know
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, but in the Lowcountry, airport officials said crowds are nothing compared to the summer.
This week, the busiest days for travel at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport will be Tuesday, Wednesday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, airport spokeswoman Lori Lynah said. Thanksgiving itself should be pretty quiet, but Lynah said she expects about 76,000 passengers to travel between Wednesday and Monday, a slight increase over last year.
A Saturday in early November will have about 8,300 people departing the airport, Lynah said. This year, the Saturday before Thanksgiving has just under 9,000 seats on the books; a Saturday in July can have 10,251. Other days of the week in July typically average just above Thanksgiving levels, she said.
The airport typically beefs up its parking staff for the holiday weekend, to direct people to overflow parking if needed. They’ll have plenty of spots available, Lynah said, and people picking up friends and family at SAV can use the departure drop-off area for pickup.
“If you’re picking someone up, you can utilize the departures level, which is typically not as crowded as the arrivals level,” she said. “Of course, utilize the cell phone lot first, but if somebody doesn’t have a checked bag they can walk right out.
“Wait till your person is on the curbside,” she said. “Don’t head up there as soon as they call you from baggage claim.”
At Hilton Head Island Airport, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines typically stop operating seasonal flights by November. Last year, 11,689 passengers traveled in and out of the airport in November, compared to 21,099 the month before.
Only one carrier, American Airlines, operates at the airport yearround; American offers daily flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, a major hub for connecting flights.
Jon Rembold, Beaufort County airports director, said Hilton Head airport is ready for Thanksgiving. But traveling through the airport over the holiday should be pretty easy for passengers compared to summer, he said.
“We get a little bit of a surge, but it’s very manageable,” he said.
Summer is also peak season at Savannah/Hilton Head, Lynah said. It’s the time of year when the terminal is always crowded. Even between flights, the floor is filled with people.
Thanksgiving week, the terminal gets crowded with people right before flights. But the crowds dwindle a bit in between, Lynah said.
“In the summer it’s a constant murmur. It’s just more crowded,” she said, “whereas now I’ll look down and say, ‘man, it’s crowded’ but in 30 minutes it’s quiet again.”
