Albany International Airport officials are expecting a massive surge in travel this weekend as the Christmas holiday approaches. If you plan on catching a flight this weekend, there are a number of things to know to make your experience as seamless as possible. 

• All travelers are urged to arrive at the airport no less than TWO HOURS prior to their flight’s scheduled departure. Doing so will allow ample time to park, check bags if necessary, go through the security checkpoint and arrive at the departure gate. 
• Consider using alternate transportation to and from the airport. This will alleviate you having to find parking while also saving you time. 
• Check- in early either online or by using your airline’s mobile app. Doing so will save you time when you arrive at the airport, especially if you don’t need to check baggage. 
• Be sure you have all your documentation, such as identification, boarding pass and any other pertinent documents you may need. 
• Before packing, please visit www.tsa.gov to find out which items are prohibited from having in either your carry-on or checked luggage. Be sure also to check to ensure you’re not packing prohibited amounts of liquids, gels, creams, pastes or aerosols.
• Traveling with children? Make sure there are no prohibited items in their luggage. 
• Consider TSA PreCheck to speed up and enhance your experience going through the security check point. Learn more at www.tsa.gov.
• Make sure you know your gate number. This info should be on your boarding pass but you can always ask airline personnel, airport staff or check out an arrival/departure monitor inside the terminal. 

·     Access to the pedestrian bridge to and from the North Parking Garage is CLOSED. Passengers who park in the North Parking Garage will now have to access the garage and terminal from the first floor. Signage has been placed throughout to direct passengers to stairwells and the elevator.

·     Lanes in front of the terminal are reduced. Curbside parking in front of the terminal is NEVER permitted. This area in front of the terminal is for pick-up and drop off only. Those picking up or dropping off passengers are asked to do so quickly as to not cause traffic delays.

·     Picking up someone? Please consider using the short-term parking lot until your passenger arrives curbside. 

·     Those picking up passengers are also asked to utilize the cell phone/observation lot on Albany Shaker Road. Drivers may wait in that lot until their passenger is curbside and be quickly picked up in front of the terminal.   

For more travel tips, visit AlbanyAirport.com.