Palm Springs Airport Prepares for Surge in Thanksgiving Travelers

Palm Springs International Airport expects more than 75,000 departing passengers between November 20 and December 2, with the heaviest traffic concentrated around Thanksgiving week. Airport officials are urging travelers to plan ahead as peak days approach.

The busiest travel days will be Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after, with roughly 6,300 passengers departing on each of those days. Security checkpoint lines are expected to peak between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., processing up to 1,200 travelers per hour.

Airport officials recommend arriving two hours before departure for travelers checking bags and 90 minutes for those with carry-on only. Real-time security wait times and parking availability can be checked at flyPSP.com.

Parking is first-come, first-served at the main terminal, with an overflow lot on Kirk Douglas Way available for $18 per day. The airport notes that parking rates are increasing on November 24, with hourly parking rates rising from $8 to $9, while the daily maximum rates jump from $20 to $26. The rate increase, approved by the Palm Springs City Council in September, will fund new smart access systems and license-plate recognition technology.

Travelers bringing frozen Thanksgiving dishes can carry them on or check them as long as they comply with TSA's liquid rules.