BOISE, Idaho — After adding several new flights this year, the Boise Airport is anticipating a record-breaking number of travelers passing through during the summer travel season.
Summer is always a busy time for air travel, but several factors are contributing to the recent growth.
"Our 2022 passenger counts have been consistently higher than our 2019 statistics, which was our busiest year to date," said Airport Director Rebecca Hupp. "Pair this general increase in demand with the uptick we traditionally see in travel from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and we are anticipating a record-breaking summer."
Due to the high volume of traffic, there are several things to be aware of if you plan on flying this summer.
The airport parking is limited. An expansion project is currently underway to update the parking capacity and add more parking garages, although the construction site has decreased the amount of available parking at the terminal.
A live feed of available parking options is posted on the airport's parking page. Be sure to check that before driving to the airport, since it may be possible the only available spots are in the Economy Parking Lot which is serviced by a free shuttle to the terminal that runs every 15 minutes.
If possible, the airport encourages passengers to use a rideshare service like Uber and Lyft, taxis, or other modes of transportation to arrive at the airport.
Curbside drop-off is available at the terminal and reduces the strain on the limited available parking, saving space for travelers coming from outside the Treasure Valley area.
Because of the record number of travelers expected over the next few months, Hupp encourages people to verify the status of their flight before arriving at the airport, and show up much earlier than usual.
She recommends people come about 90 minutes to two hours before their flight to give themselves ample time to check-in and clear the security checkpoints pre-flight.
The Transportation Security Administration also encourages passengers to double-check their carry-on luggage to ensure that restricted items are not packed.
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