Travel tips for navigating through San Antonio International Airport this holiday season

SAN ANTONIO – Before any reindeer take to the sky this holiday season, thousands of San Antonians will fly first.

The San Antonio International Airport expects the Christmas travel season could be even busier than the Thanksgiving rush.

A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration said they expect “upwards of 20,000″ travelers to come through SAT each day between Dec. 19 and Jan. 2.

Here are some tips to make your life easier when traveling.

• Friday & Saturday rush: Holiday block leave for military members starts Friday, which is likely to be the busiest travel day in Military City, USA.

• Arrive Early: The rule of thumb is two hours ahead of a domestic flight or three hours ahead of an international one.

• Keep Gifts Unwrapped: TSA will tear open your neatly wrapped gifts if they think they need to. So save the paper and bows for your destination, or use gift bags from which TSA can easily remove or replace the gifts.

• Careful With Toys: Guns, knives, and fireworks aren’t the only carry-on items that will cause you problems. Toy guns could also be confiscated from your carry-on, and snow globes must follow the 3.4-ounce limit for carry-on liquids. TSA recommends starting your packing with an empty suitcase to avoid accidentally including something prohibited.

• Food: Yes, you can bring tamales in your carry-on. Whether you can bring your homemade salsa, though, depends on if it’s more or less than 3.4 ounces. Anything you can pour, pump, spill, or spray is considered a liquid and has to follow the guidelines.

• Parking Options: The airport allows travelers to reserve parking in advance, and it monitors which of its lots are full. KSAT has also compiled some other options for parking nearby.

• Curbside Baggage Check: The airport has a curbside baggage check option within the short-term parking garage, so you don’t have to lug them as far.

,