Quad Cities International Airport gears up for Thanksgiving travel boom

MOLINE, Ill. (KWQC) – AAA projects 79.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday. This year’s projection of nearly 80 million travelers is an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year.

Well, how are they getting there? AAA projects 5.8 million travelers will take to the skies, an increase of 10.7% compared to 2023.

Also, according to AAA, the average price for a domestic flight is $700, up 3% from 2023.

The Transportation Security Administration estimates it will screen 18.3 million passengers between November 26 and December 2 this year. Midway Airport is expected to serve $7.2% more passengers, and O’Hare is expected to serve 3.9% more passengers than during last year’s Thanksgiving travel rush.

If you are one of those who plan to take to the skies, here are some tips to make your experience a smooth process:

• Check in early online
• Monitor your flight status using your airline mobile app
• Arrive 2-3 hours before scheduled departure
• Pack medications and an extra set of clothes in your carry-on bag, just in case your flight is delayed or canceled.

“Make sure that you pay attention to what you pack, so that way security checkpoint goes a lot smoother, so if you are bringing gifts, for example, leave your gifts unwrapped until you arrive at your destination; that way, if TSA has to take a look, they don’t have to unwrap your nice pretty gift, and then also, anything that can be spread, smeared, or poured is considered a liquid, so make sure that if you are keeping it in a carry-on it is 3.4 ounces or less, anything larger will need to be checked into a bag,“ said Public Relations and Marketing Manager for Quad Cities International Airport, Ashleigh Davis.

Tips for Air Travelers who Have Not Booked Their Flight Yet:

• Book a flight that leaves early in the day. Flights in the afternoon and evening are more susceptible to delays and cancellations.
• Book a direct flight. Otherwise, build in extra time between connections, in case your first flight is delayed.
• Consider traveling on Thanksgiving Day. This could offer the best combination of availability and price.

In addition to this, with winter weather brewing across our region, comes the need for an increase in weather preparation, and the Quad Cities International Airport is prepared for whatever is to come.

“Winter weather preparation is a big deal around here, as it is with any airport, because again, we are part of the infrastructure of the airport. We are what is controlling how the building is set up and how the airfield conditions are cleared, so we have a staff that gets trained starting in October about winter weather,” Davis said.

The training is extensive, focusing on machinery, airfield geography, and more There is an entire chain of command to ensure a quick, speedy clean-up.

“We have two teams that work twelve-hour rotating shifts if there is winter weather that is incoming and we have to start clearing almost immediately; there is very little time for there to be any type of coverage before our teams are going to be out there cleaning runways and taxiways to make sure that air travel can continue, so I would say we are very prepared for winter weather,” Davis said.

Davis went on to say that it is important to stay on top of your designated airline app to ensure you are up to date and in the know of any potential delays regarding weather.

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