Syracuse, New York –The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) announced today that Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) is preparing for an anticipated robust level of Thanksgiving travelers in the coming weeks.

From Monday, November 21^st through Sunday, November 27^th, the SRAA is expecting over 30,000 passengers to board flights at SYR – within 1% of the available seats for the same time period in 2019, which was the busiest year in three decades at SYR.

“We couldn’t be happier to see people returning to Thanksgiving travel in near-record levels,” said SRAA Executive Director Jason Terreri. “Our team is working around the clock to ensure the best airport customer experience possible for our passengers this holiday season as they reconnect with loved ones.”

To accommodate the increased demand for parking during the holiday stretch, the SRAA is constructing three new surface parking lots which will expand parking capacity at SYR by approximately 900 spaces. This will push parking capacity at the airport to roughly three times the industry standard for similarly sized airports. This is phase one of a much larger re-envisioning of the Landside/Parking at SYR.

While the popular pre-book parking option has largely sold out for the Thanksgiving stretch, this offering represents only a portion of the overall parking available to travelers. Travelers who have not pre-booked parking are encouraged to monitor the airport’s official Facebook and Twitter feeds for regular parking updates during the Thanksgiving stretch. At peak demand times, the SRAA will provide multiple daily updates via these social media channels. Travelers should note that the SRAA is not able to respond to individual requests for parking status updates.

Drivers picking up arriving passengers are reminded that pick ups now occur at the outer curb lines of the airport, adjacent each terminal. Please follow the color-coded signs directing motorists to the appropriate pick up areas. The front curb line of the airport is reserved for drop offs only. To protect the safety of pedestrians and motorists, drivers are not permitted to sit and wait along the side of Col. Eileen Collins Blvd.

To help get travelers in the holiday spirit, multiple musical performances are scheduled in the airport’s grand hall as part of the SYR Holiday Concert Series. The series, which features local schools and other community organizations, runs from Monday, November 21^st through Friday, December 23^rd.

Just in time for the Thanksgiving stretch, the 2022 SYR Community Art Program is underway throughout the airport – both pre- and post-security checkpoint. The program features over 230 works of art from local schools, juvenile detention centers, senior living facilities, and organizations assisting individuals with intellectual/development disabilities.

Local Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials recommend arriving at SYR two hours prior to a traveler’s scheduled departure, especially during peak hours. Peak TSA checkpoint traffic at SYR generally occurs between 4:30 am – 6:00 am, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Travelers with questions about what can and cannot pass through the TSA security checkpoint are encouraged to use the agency’s popular “Ask TSA” social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

To learn more about the 29 destinations served by nonstop flights from Syracuse, please visit the airport’s Destinations page.