One of the busiest travel times of the year for Spokane International and U.S. airports in general, is the Thanksgiving holiday. To help make traveling a little less stressful, we offer the following tips:

Do not include wrapped packages in checked or carry-on luggage. New security measures will require the examination of these items.

Vehicles are not allowed to park and wait curbside. Motorists can drop off and pick up travelers curbside, but cannot wait at the curb. The Airport does offer a cell phone parking lot where motorists can wait for free up to two hours until passengers arrive.

Check Flight Status. Please visit the Airport's web site for current flight arrival/departure information or call your airline's 1-800 number to re-confirm your flight's status. Inclement weather in Spokane or in another city can cause flight delays. The airlines serving Spokane can be reached at the following:

Alaska, 800-426-0333
Delta/SkyWest, 800-221-1212
ExpressJet, 888 958-9538
Frontier, 800-432-1359
Horizon, 800-547-9308

Northwest, 800-225-2525
Southwest, 800-435-9792
United, 800-241-6522
US Airways, 800-235-9292

Allow Extra Time. With the increase in travelers, waiting lines increase, too. Arrive at the airport 90-120 minutes before your flight's departure to minimize the rush to the gate. Most flights require boarding more than 20 minutes before takeoff.

Tag Every Bag. Tag every piece of luggage with your name and address. Include additional addresses inside each bag in the event the outside tag falls off.

As soon as possible, go through both the ticket and passenger checkpoint lines.

Limit Carry-Ons. The FAA has restricted travelers' carry-on luggage to one bag, plus a personal item such as a purse, briefcase, or laptop computer. Please follow the TSA's 3-1-1 rule: 3 ounce containers of liquids, lotions or gels, inside 1 quart-size zip top bag; 1 bag per passenger.

Traveling With Children. At ticketing, if they are under the age of 12 and are planning to travel unaccompanied OR if your child is two years of age or younger and you are planning to have them travel on your lap or unticketed, you need to provide proof of age. A birth certificate is an acceptable proof of age. In flight, for small children, the key is to keep them occupied. Bring munchies, play their favorite game or surprise them with a new toy or book. Talk to them about where they are going, whom they are going to see, and what they are going to do when they arrive.

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