ALBANY, NY (December 21, 2023) – Albany International Airport (ALB) is gearing up for the upcoming holiday travel period and reminding passengers on what they can do to be prepared. With thousands of air travelers passing through ALB, travelers are reminded that the airport will be busy, and they should plan accordingly. 

"The holiday season is upon us and we’re excited to welcome residents from the Capital Region and beyond to our airport," said Steven Smith, Director of Communications at Albany International Airport. “We look forward to helping make this holiday season a happy one as we safely connect families and friends with their loved ones.”

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), thousands of individuals are expected to be traveling through ALB on a daily basis beginning today. 

“The professional and dedicated workforce at TSA remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of those traveling at ALB,” said Bart R. Johnson, Federal Security Director for the Transportation Security Administration. “During the holiday season, we expect a surge of travelers at the airport and strongly encourage travelers to give themselves ample time to get through the TSA security checkpoint so they can safely make their scheduled flights.” 

During the holiday season, passengers traveling with gifts are reminded to use gift bags instead of wrapping paper. They are also urged to visit www.tsa.gov to learn how to safely travel with their gifts and not be delayed at the security checkpoint.

“Planning ahead and packing properly can facilitate the TSA security screening process and ease a passenger’s travel experience at the airport,” Johnson added. “That’s why it is important to know what can be packed in your carry-on/checked baggage before arriving at the airport.”

Travelers planning to fly out of ALB are reminded of the following travel tips:

• All travelers are urged to arrive at the airport no less than TWO HOURS prior to their flight’s scheduled departure. Doing so will allow ample time to park, check bags if necessary, go through the security checkpoint and arrive at the departure gate. 

• Consider using alternate transportation to and from the airport. This will alleviate you having to find parking while also saving you time. 

• Check- in early either online or by using your airline’s mobile app. Doing so will save you time when you arrive at the airport, especially if you don’t need to check baggage. 

• Be sure you have all your documentation, such as identification, boarding pass and any other pertinent documents you may need. 

• Before packing, please visit www.tsa.gov to find out which items are prohibited from having in either your carry-on or checked luggage. Be sure also to check to ensure you’re not packing prohibited amounts of liquids, gels, creams, pastes or aerosols.

• Traveling with children? Make sure there are no prohibited items in their luggage. 

• Consider TSA PreCheck to speed up and enhance your experience going through the security check point. Learn more at www.tsa.gov.

• Make sure you know your gate number. This info should be on your boarding pass but you can always ask airline personnel, airport staff or check out an arrival/departure monitor inside the terminal. 

In addition, as construction continues both inside and outside for ALB’s exciting new terminal expansion, travelers are reminded about the following:

·     Access to the pedestrian bridge to and from the North Parking Garage is CLOSED. Passengers who park in the North Parking Garage will now have to access the garage and terminal from the first floor. Signage has been placed throughout to direct passengers to stairwells and the elevator.

·     Lanes in front of the terminal are reduced. Curbside parking in front of the terminal is NEVER permitted. This area in front of the terminal is for pick-up and drop off only. Those picking up or dropping off passengers are asked to do so quickly as to not cause traffic delays. 

·     Picking up someone? Please consider using the short-term parking lot until your passenger arrives curbside. 

·     Those picking up passengers are also asked to utilize the cell phone/observation lot on Albany Shaker Road. Drivers may wait in that lot until their passenger is curbside and be quickly picked up in front of the terminal.   

For more information about terminal expansion project including updates, please visit www.albanyairport.com/construction.

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