KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Officials estimate the Kansas City International Airport will see its peak number of travelers for the holiday travel season between Thursday, Dec. 21, and Tuesday, Jan. 2., according to the Transportation Security Administration and the Kansas City Aviation Department.
Thursday will kickoff the busiest travel days, with KCI saying it expects the most travelers on Dec. 21, 22, 28 and 29. KCI suggests travelers arrive two hours prior to their flight's departure.
An estimated 410,000 travelers will arrive and depart from the new terminal, which is 24% more travelers than last year's holiday travel, according to KCI.
KCI officials stress the importance of visitors and travelers familiarizing themselves with the new layout and drop-off/pickup procedures of the new terminal.
Drivers picking up travelers have caused backup at the pickup lanes since the new terminal opened in February. KCI created a task force during Thanksgiving week travel to tackle the backups along with parking, cleanliness, and other operational concerns.
Those who are picking up travelers should utilize the Cell Phone Waiting Lot or by checking the flight's status online before driving to the "arrivals" area.
The Cell Phone Waiting Lot, located at 680 Brasilia Avenue, is free and was made specifically for those awaiting travelers. There is also an overflow lot available near Brasilia Avenue and Paris Street.
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