Syracuse airport prepares for substantial rise in winter-break travelers

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) is expecting a “significant uptick” in winter-break travelers at Syracuse Hancock International Airport.

The Syracuse airport is expecting more than 27,000 passengers to board flights between Feb. 18 and Feb. 23, representing a 95 percent increase over the same stretch last year, which was affected by a statewide travel advisory.

Compared to 2019 — which was the busiest year in three decades at the Syracuse airport — this year’s projection is a 14 percent increase in available seats during the same period, per the SRAA’s Tuesday news release.

The authority attributes the winter-break increase to more airlines operating at the airport than in recent years and the availability of more nonstop routes.

Additionally, as they anticipate the increased winter-break demand, all air carriers have either increased the frequency of their flights or increased the size of their aircraft serving many of their routes from Syracuse, which is known as “up gauging” the aircraft.

For example, low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines has chosen to up gauge the aircraft serving its Syracuse to Orlando route from an 737-700 to a 737-800, which means an additional 32 seats on each flight.

Ultra-low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Airlines have also boosted their frequency of service from Syracuse to multiple Florida locations.