JACKSON, Wyo. — It’s no secret that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times for airport travel, and this year will be no exception at the Jackson Hole Airport.
The weekly passenger report estimates that 8,534 people will pass through the Jackson airport between Sunday and Saturday.
“Numbers are returning to closer to 2019 pre-pandemic levels,” Executive Director Jim Elwood said. “But this week is an interesting trend because overall [the 2022] numbers have been below 2021 numbers, but this week it’s up from last year.”
Thanksgiving 2021 passenger counts were just over 6,000. Thanksgiving 2019 passenger counts were just over 8,000.
The Jackson Hole Airport was closed for 78 days in spring 2022 for runway reconstruction, and in the months since, Elwood says overall passenger numbers have been lower than 2021.
To determine the number of inbound and outbound passengers for the week, a report is compiled every Sunday that examines the number of flights scheduled within a certain amount of time each day and how many people are filling seats. Numbers started to build on Friday, Nov. 18, and will increase each day leading up to Thursday, with a slowdown on Thanksgiving, then it increases again as people return home over the weekend.
Elwood doesn’t anticipate a particularly chaotic scene at the Jackson Hole Airport, but he wants to encourage people to get to the airport early and find a ride so they don’t have to count on parking at the airport.
“We encourage people to get to the airport early enough that they have a chance to go through security and be comfortable—2 hours early is recommended, especially for those who are checking bags,” Elwood said. “This makes sure their travel is lower stress and lower anxiety, which hopefully lets them enjoy the holiday more.”
Parking at the airport is expected to be at capacity, but travelers can go to the airport website and check live webcams of the parking lots.
“It’s the simple reality of parking availability,” Elwood said. He suggests finding a friend to take you to the airport or hiring a taxi or rideshare service.
Consider bringing nonperishable food items to the airport as well, where they’re running a holiday food drive through Jan. 1. The collection point is located just next to the security checkpoint, and people who donate will get a voucher for a free drink at Jedediah’s inside the airport.
Like most other businesses, staffing shortages are impacting the airport. While the airport itself is doing “reasonably well,” Elwood says some of the vendors within the airport are understaffed.
“For Jackson and all travel during the holidays, just bring some extra patience with you,” Elwood said. “That’s the one ingredient I really encourage people to pack as they get set to visit with family or wherever their travel takes them.”
