SYRACUSE — Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) is anticipating a “significant uptick” in winter-break travelers later this month. That’s according to the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA), which says the 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 […]
SYRACUSE — Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) is anticipating a “significant uptick” in winter-break travelers later this month.
That’s according to the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA), which says the 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 Feb. 8 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.
“We’re excited to welcome families back to SYR as they embark on winter break travel,” Jason Terreri, executive director of SRAA, said. “We know that for many people, this may be their first time flying in quite a while. We want SYR travelers to know that our team has worked around the clock to ensure a safe, healthy, and enjoyable airport experience.”
SRAA also noted that the airport’s Pets Easing Travelers (PET) program will conduct increased therapy-dog visits to the airport, and additional Fly Guide Ambassadors will be available to help guide travelers around the terminal.
Travelers who will be parking their vehicle at Hancock are encouraged to pre-book their parking on the airport’s parking page. The overflow parking lot will be available to accommodate the expected increase in parking demand during winter break.
Local Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials recommend arriving at the airport two hours prior to a traveler’s scheduled departure, especially during peak hours. Peak TSA checkpoint traffic at the Syracuse airport generally occurs between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., 10 a.m.-12 p.m., and 4-6 p.m., SRAA said.