Saskatchewan airports expected to be busy for the holiday season

Flying home for the holidays? Representatives from both the Saskatoon and Regina airports said the Christmas season will see some heavy traffic for flights, and that it’s important to arrive early.

Regina International Airport

Justin Reves, the manager of customer experience for the Regina Airport Authority, said two weeks leading up to and including Christmas are some of the airport’s busiest times.

“We’re already seeing traffic start to pick up,” he said, noting the airport has additional flights around this time.

He predicts airport traffic will slow down in the second week of January.

Reves suggests arriving at least 90 minutes before a flight, but it’s a good idea to allot more time due to the high traffic.

When it comes to flights being on time, Reves says one of the challenges during the holiday season is the unpredictability of weather. Sometimes early arrivals and de-icing planes could back up departures.

Reves said traffic last January was down to 30 per cent of pre-pandemic levels because of the COVID-19 Omicron wave. He said as of Monday, the airport is up to around 85 per cent of those levels.

“We’re seeing a lot of passengers heading out to some of those warmer southern destinations,” he said, noting many flights are headed to destinations such as Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Las Vegas.

He said the authority is watching this season carefully and hoping that amid the rising interest rates and inflation, people still have disposable income to travel with. If flights rise throughout the winter, Reves said they’re hopeful more destination flights will be available.

Currently, the Regina airport has 15 direct flights compared to the 21 to 23 available direct flights pre-pandemic, he said.

Saskatoon International Airport

CJ Dushinski, vice-president of business development for the Saskatoon airport, said the facility’s busiest days will be the days leading up to Christmas, with peak days being Thursday and Friday.

“On those days, we’re going to expect to see over 2,000 departing passengers a day,” she said.

Dushinski recommends arriving two hours prior to flights, regardless if it is a domestic or international destination.

To avoid a headache, Dushinski recommends checking in with the air carrier directly to ensure the flight is on time and that all information entered is correct.

If people are travelling with Christmas presents, the gifts should not be wrapped.

“If you head through security with those, they’re going to make you unwrap them,” she said.

Alternatively, if presents must be wrapped, make sure they are checked in luggage.

Dushinski also suggests keeping important items such as medication and car keys with you at all times and avoiding checking them in with luggage.

Smooth operations will be dependent on weather this season, but Dushinski said airport officials are not expecting to see any major delays or disruptions.

The Saskatoon airport did see a slower season at the beginning of January, but Dushinski says flights have picked up over the summer and it’s currently operating at 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. She noted seat capacity and schedules have recovered throughout the year.

She said for 2023, the airport is hoping to add new flights and routes, adding low-cost carriers entering the market will add more variety. Flair Airlines announced daily flight services between Saskatoon and Calgary starting in May 2023.