Oakland International Airport ready for a busy Thanksgiving travel period

Oakland, Calif. – November 17, 2021: Oakland International Airport expects nearly 170,000 passengers to travel through the airport during the 2021 Thanksgiving holiday period.  Between Wednesday, November 24th through Sunday November 28th, OAK anticipates hosting approximately twice as many travelers as it did during Thanksgiving weekend 2020. The weekend should reach approximately 80% of Thanksgiving 2019 passenger traffic, which was prior to the start of the pandemic. 

“We are ready to welcome far more Thanksgiving travelers to OAK this year than we did last year.  Passengers who are traveling by air for the first time in a while can expect an experience that looks a little different than it did before the pandemic.” says Bryant L. Francis, Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland. “The airport and its partners will continue execution of heightened health & safety precautions during this busy travel period, while striving to maintain the exceptional customer experience that passengers have grown to expect when they Fly the East Bay Way.” 

While preparing and packing for holiday travel, passengers should check the guidelines provided by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), particularly for those traveling with holiday-related items. TSA provides a helpful “What Can I Bring?” tool on their website here that allows users to search by item and find out best packing practices. Passengers traveling with gifts should consider wrapping their gifts after arriving at their destination, as Transportation Security Officers may unwrap and inspect packages as luggage is processed. 

OAK encourages passengers to arrive early for their flight during this busy holiday travel weekend and to allow plenty of time for parking, check-in, bag drop-off, and passing through the security checkpoint. Passengers are also encouraged to download the mobile application for the airline that they are flying. This ensures access to the latest flight information, allows for easy mobile check-in, and provides a digital boarding pass option to minimize touch points during time spent at the airport. 

Shops and restaurants at the airport are open and serving customers. The latest information regarding dining and shopping locations as well as hours of operation may be found here. 

Passengers are required to wear a face covering during their time at Oakland International Airport and all other U.S. airports per the federal mask mandate that is currently in effect. All passenger airlines at OAK require masks to be worn in the gate areas and on the aircraft. Travelers are also encouraged to socially distance themselves when possible and utilize hand sanitizer stations located throughout the airport.  

COVID testing is available for travelers on-site at the airport. Appointments should be made with City Health here. OAK staff is also taking special precautions in airport terminals to sanitize touch points and minimize the spread of COVID-19. To learn more about what OAK is doing to stop the spread, click here.   

About Oakland International Airport 

Oakland International is the main airport for the greater East Bay, the most populated area in the metropolitan San Francisco Bay area. It is the closest airport to most Bay Area employers. By roadway and BART air-rail, OAK enables excellent access to all of the region’s business, entertainment and tourism venues. 

The vision of Oakland International Airport is to be the airport of choice for San Francisco Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by the Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of East Bay waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 84,000 jobs in the region with more than a $130 billion economic impact. 

Updates about travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, current departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details about on-airport parking, shopping and dining and more, can be found at www.oaklandairport.com.

Contact - Members of the Press and Media Only

Kaley Skantz – Airport Spokesperson, Click here to contact Kaley Skantz

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