OAK expects 8% more passengers this Memorial Day holiday weekend

Oakland, CA: (May 26, 2016) -- This Memorial Day holiday weekend kicks off what is expected to be an especially busy summer travel season at Oakland International Airport (OAK).  New destinations and increased frequencies are helping to drive increased passenger traffic, which is up nearly 20% at the Airport over the last two years.

OAK expects to welcome approximately 167,000 travelers over the five-day Memorial Day holiday travel period beginning today, through Monday, May 30 – an 8% increase over the same period last year.

Today through Monday, seat capacity for the Airport is up 8%, compared to the same long weekend in 2015. Friday, May 27, will be the busiest Memorial holiday travel day with 38,000 passengers passing through the gates at OAK, up 5% from the same Friday in 2015 -- and up 12% from 2014.

Upward Momentum
For the full summer travel season, measured from Memorial Day weekend through the end of August, OAK expects to see 3.6 million travelers, an increase of 9.2% over last year. This growth follows 29 consecutive months of year-over-year passenger traffic gains.

Also spurring traffic is a new international destination, introduced earlier this month. Norwegian commenced nonstop service to London’s Gatwick Airport (LGW) on May 12, the first ever from Oakland. Additionally, Southwest will begin three-times-daily nonstop service to Reno-Tahoe, a daily nonstop to St. Louis, and four-times-daily nonstop service to Long Beach on June 5. It will also increase the popular OAK to Baltimore/Washington, DC nonstop transcontinental route from one to two daily. These additions alone are expected to boost passenger traffic by more than 4%.

OAK’s summer flight schedule will offer 156 peak day departures to 54 domestic and international destinations – the most ever in the airport's history.

Travel Smart, Arrive Early

In light of the expected boost in travelers combined with recent delays at security checkpoints at airports across the country, OAK encourages travelers to prepare to enjoy this holiday weekend by arriving early for departures. For the best experience traveling through OAK this busy travel season, we suggest following TSA guidelines to get you through the Airport and to your destination.

TSA recommends arriving up to 2 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours for international destinations this Holiday weekend.

Get Expedited Screening: TSA Pre✓® is an expedited screening program that enables low-risk travelers to enjoy a smart and efficient screening experience. For TSA Pre✓® travelers, there is no need to remove shoes, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, light outerwear or belts. In the month of March (2016), 95% of those enrolled in TSA Pre✓®  waited five minutes or less to be screened. The marketing carriers that sell airline tickets to/from OAK that participate in TSA Pre✓®: Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines. Apply for TSA Pre✓® today!
TSA Security Guidance for Travelers

Airport Ground Transportation
Travelers visiting the Bay Area may take advantage of the popular Oakland International Airport BART Station, which offers access to the entire BART system from the airport’s front door. For comprehensive information on how to use the BART line to or from the airport and watch a how-to video, visit www.bart.gov/guide/airport/inbound_oak.
AC Transit Bus service, Taxis, Shuttles, and TNC car services such as Lyft, Uber, and Wingz are also available at the terminal curbside. For details about Ground Transportation at the OAK, visit https://www.oaklandairport.com/ground_transportation.shtml.

On-Airport Parking Options
For those departing OAK, ample parking is always available on-airport with a range of options offered for every budget. Travelers to any destination can take advantage of $4.00 off the daily rate for parking in the Economy lot or $8.00 off per day in its Premier, Hourly and Daily lots. Frequent travelers can get a day of free Daily Lot parking with the purchase of three days at regular rates by using OAK’s Frequent Parker Program.  Businesses can save $10 off daily rates for Premier, Hourly or Daily lots by registering in the OAK Corporate Parker program.
Details, requirements and registration for OAK’s parking programs are available at OaklandAirport.com/parking.

About Oakland International Airport
Oakland International is the fourth largest airport in California and second largest in the San Francisco Bay Area. Serving over 11 million travelers each year, OAK is the closest airport to the region’s top tourism and entertainment venues. It is also the closest airport for most local residents.

The airport currently offers air service to 54 destinations on 13 different airline brands – seven of which operate with OAK as their sole gateway into the San Francisco Bay region.

The vision of Oakland International Airport is to offer customers a world-class experience and be the airport of choice for Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by The Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.

For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details on shopping, dining, transportation, and more, visit www.oaklandairport.com.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport and Oakland International Airport.  The Port’s jurisdiction includes 20 miles of waterfront from the Bay Bridge through Oakland International Airport.  The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S; Oakland International Airport is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport, offering more than 300 daily passenger and cargo flights; and the Port’s Real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas.  Together, through Port operations and those of its tenants and users, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.  The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland.  Connect with the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport through Facebook, or with the Port on Twitter, YouTube, and at www.portofoakland.com.

Contact:
Keonnis R. Taylor
[email protected]
510-563-6500