FILE: Travelers line up to enter a security checkpoint at SFO on July 1, 2022, in San Francisco. The airport is bracing for passenger numbers that near 2019 levels this Memorial Day weekend.
Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesSan Francisco International Airport is preparing for its busiest Memorial Day weekend in years, with departing and arriving passengers expected to surpass 140,000 people total, based on airline flight schedules and trends.
The Friday before the holiday marks the official start of summer travel, when there’s an uptick in passenger levels. SFO reached a high point for Memorial Day weekend travel in 2019, with more than 180,000 departing and arriving passengers that Friday.
In comparison, about 120,000 people passed through SFO last year on the same Friday, a significant jump from the doldrums of 2020, when there were a mere 11,000 estimated passengers.
The expected passenger count this week continues the upward trend in air travel reaching for the 2019 peak. SFO predicts 14.9 million travelers in total between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which is about 85% of its travel levels in 2019.
If you’re planning to drive to the airport, it’s best to book a parking spot in advance by visiting the airport’s online booking system. To avoid any parking garage uncertainty, SFO recommends public transit or sharing a ride to the airport.
Road travel is also expected to see a bump this weekend as AAA anticipates that nearly 3 million more people will be on the road than last year. Across the country, AAA estimates that 42 million Americans are traveling 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend, a 7% increase from 2022.
The transportation data company INRIX says that Friday, May 26, is expected to be the busiest day for roads over the holiday weekend nationwide.