America/New_York

Ahead of the Holiday Hustle, CAE Provides Travel Tips for Those Flying This Holiday Season

With Thanksgiving being one of the busiest seasons for holiday travel, now exactly one week away and Christmas the following month, the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter) wants to ensure our valued passengers have a positive travel experience from start to finish – getting where they’re going… with ease.

“In October of this year, CAE saw roughly 94,150 passengers through the airport,” said Director of Marketing & Air Service Development, Kim Crafton. “In November of 2021, we saw roughly 87,000 passengers through the airport – nearly 7,000 more passengers a month prior this year over last year. Historically, November and December have been high traffic months and we are anticipating the same thing this year.”
To help prepare those flying out this holiday season, the team at CAE wanted to ensure passengers have everything they need lined up and ready to go before arriving at the airport.

  • Pre-book Parking: By pre-booking parking, most passengers will see a savings on the daily rate on extended stays. To pre-book, simply visit www.flycae.com/airport/parking.
  • Check Flight Status: By downloading an airline’s apps, passengers are able to get regular and real-time notifications regarding their flight status. Passengers are also encouraged to check CAE’s website for flight status as another resource. That information can be found by visiting, www.flycae.com/flight-information.
  • Arrive Early: Arriving two hours early for your flight will ensure that you’re waiting at the gate, and not in the TSA security line. *Please note: Most airlines close the checked bag process roughly 45 minutes before boarding begins.
  • Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program: Are you traveling with a hidden disability and need extra assistance? The Hidden Disability Sunflower Program is now in place at CAE. If you or someone your group needs extra time, support, or care, please go to the Information Desk and get a sunflower lanyard to wear throughout your time in the airport. (The lanyards do not need to be returned and are free of charge).
  • Get TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry: This five-year membership is acquired through an application process and allows you to keep shoes on, laptops in your bag, belts and jackets on and ensures an expedited security screening process. Traveling internationally regularly? Global Entry includes Pre-Check and can be obtained through a similar application process. Right now, TSA Pre-check has been discounted. Learn more at, www.tsa.gov.
  • Double Check Your Bags: Before arriving to the airport, fully examine all carry-on bags to ensure no prohibited items are inside. These items – including firearms, restricted TSA objects or materials, etc. – will certainly hold up passengers in the security line and may keep an individual from flying. *Firearms are NOT allowed in carry-on baggage and must be properly stored in checked bags. Firearms found at the TSA security check point will be confiscated and fines may be issued.
  • Flying with Gifts? Wait to Wrap! To make the check in process go as quickly as possible, CAE suggests you wait to wrap your gifts. Any wrapped gift in a carry-on might need to be opened if an alarm is triggered. Who wants to wrap gifts twice?
  • Pack Your Patience: With the start of summer travel comes more passengers in the airport, long lines, delays, missed connections and some cancellations due to staffing shortages or inclement weather. CAE encourages everyone to pack some patience and know that many people are working behind the scenes to ensure as few disruptions as possible.