Passenger counts have nearly rebounded to pre-pandemic levels at San Diego International Airport. A week out from Labor Day, airport drop offs and terminals were busy, but things seemed to be going smoothly.
But, it's the calm before the storm. As people head through the week, the number of passengers traveling through San Diego is headed straight up.
“Based on what we’ve seen during this summer, we will have about 80,000 people coming and going through the airport during the Labor Day holiday each day," said airport spokeswoman Nicole Hall.
That equates to about 400,000 people moving through the airport from Friday through Tuesday. That would make for delays on a good day, but construction at the airport is expected to add to the challenge.
Crews are in the process of building the new Terminal One and its parking garage. Hall said that makes it more important than ever to allow plenty of time.
“We recommend that people come about two hours ahead of time, and if you plan to park, make a parking reservation," she said.
Better yet, Hall said to take public transportation. Use a ride-sharing service, taxi, or have a friend or family member drop off or pick up passengers. Another option is parking off-site.
“We have a San Diego Flyer that will take you from the Old Town Transit Station to the airport for free," she said.
At TSA checkpoints, passengers don’t have to show a boarding passes, just their picture IDs.
Remember the items you cannot bring in checked bags or carry on.
When will all those construction delays come to an end? That will happen in phases, Hall said.
“Our first phase of Terminal One will be completed in 2025. Our parking structure for Terminal One will be completed at the end of 2024 ... The entire Terminal One will be completed in 2028," she said.
In other words, patience is something travelers will need to bring to the airport over the next week — and for the next four-plus years.
