CLEVELAND — Cleveland Hopkins was busy Friday morning as holiday travelers made their way to destinations across the country for Easter or Spring Break. For many, the end of March is the time of year when a physical and mental break from winter is in order.
“It's a great time to travel with family and or if you’re those spring breakers, you know college kids, wanting to get that beach vacation in,” said Marita Williams, Manager of Travel Product Development and Travel Promotions for AAA.
She said Florida remains a popular destination for many people who want to enjoy the sandy beaches and open sea.
“Cruise business is really back for us here at AAA. It was not full capacity most ships until last year and now it's continuing on this year,” she said.
TSA screened a record number of air travelers in 2023, and they expect a 6% jump this spring break. Numbers were fueled over the next week by those traveling to and from cities in the path of the solar eclipse. The FAA predicts the upcoming week be the busiest of the season, with Thursday, April 4 looking like the busiest day.
"I would say book your flights strategically so that you can make it back,” said traveler Jordan Urso of Erie.
At Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, leaders said they've seen a 9.55% increase in passengers, with nearly 700,000 in February compared to one year earlier.
Delays are always a possibility, especially as volume increases so keep in touch with your airline and arrive two hours early to the airport. Just because you think your flight is off-peak doesn’t mean it is.
That’s why Allyson Goldstein of Beachwood advised, “Just get here early, be patient and be prepared.
“We actually went away last week as well, and it was crazy here on a Thursday morning," Goldstein said.
TSA said they’ll be staffed accordingly, but they need you to help them simply by packing smart.
“What we mean by that is don't put anything into your bag that's a prohibited item that's going to slow you down, that's going to slow other people in line behind you down,” said TSA Regional Spokesperson Jessica Mayle.
So don’t bring banned items, especially liquids, in your carry on.
“If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it, it counts as a liquid - so we're looking at gravy, toothpaste, jams and preserves, spreadable cheeses, alcohol, anything like that if it's over that 3.4-ounce limit it needs to go in your checked bag."
To avoid waiting in long lines for the TSA, she heavily advised signing up for TSA Pre-Check at TSA.gov. It’s $78, and it’s good for five years.
“Generally there are shorter lines,” which was definitely the case Friday morning at Hopkins.
“You don’t have to remove your jacket, you’re electronics,” she said. “So yes it’s a great program.”
Budget time to park at the airport
If you’re heading out for an escape this spring break, then you probably have already prepped for longer lines and busier checkpoints.
But what about parking?
This often-forgotten traveling step can come as a shock for some visiting Cleveland International Airport, unable to easily find a spot to park with the airport lots.
News 5 spoke with several off-site parking companies, who said they have spots right now, but that wasn’t always the case this week.
Relief could be coming soon as airport officials tell News 5 they’re still on track to begin demolition of the Sheraton hotel starting this summer. Previous reporting shows a parking garage with 400-500 spots is among the items set to go in its place.
RELATED: More parking coming to Cleveland Hopkins after purchase of Sheraton Cleveland Airport hotel
More than 10 million people are slated to use the Cleveland International Airport in 2024.
Going into next week, with more spring breakers, experts told News 5 to be on the lookout for possibly more “full” parking signs, plan ahead and arrive early.
