Date: November 21, 2014
As we prepare for a busy holiday season at Mid-Continent Airport, airport officials offer these travel tips to make your travel through ICT and your connecting and destination airports easier.
Travelers should expect busy airports and full flights. According to preliminary reports from the airlines, loads are fairly evenly distributed starting Tuesday, Nov. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 30, with the exception of Thanksgiving Day when some flights are not operating. There are still seats available and we expect loads to fill up as we get closer to the holiday. The busiest days at ICT will be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the Saturday and Sunday after the holiday.
Travelers should arrive two hours before departure time to allow enough time to park, check in, and get through security screening.
Due to the parking garage construction, parking and waiting in front of the terminal building will not be allowed. If you are dropping off or picking up passengers, please be quick to do so. The lane in front of the terminal is used by courtesy vehicles, and there is not enough room to sit there and wait. Use the convenient cell phone lot while waiting to pick up passengers.
In case the long-term and Park & Ride lots fill up, we have contingency plans for overflow parking. Please arrive early in case you need to be directed to overflow lots. The shuttle will transport you to/from the terminal.
The location where the Park & Ride shuttle will pick up and drop off passengers has moved, it is now located on the east end of the terminal, outside of baggage claim. It previously was across the street from the main entrance of the terminal.
Due to construction, travelers are also reminded the following parking limitations remain in effect:
- Short-term parking remains strictly limited to four (4) hours
- Vehicles remaining in the short-term parking lot for more than four (4) hours will be charged the maximum rate of $50. Vehicles remaining in the lot overnight will be towed at the owner’s expense.
- Entrance to the short-term and long-term lots is only on the west side of the lot area.
The following tips are provided to help you prepare for the busy holiday travel season:
- Arrive a minimum of two hours before your flight boarding time to allow enough time to park, check in, and get through security. The checkpoint opens at 4:00 a.m. Ticket counters generally close 30 minutes prior to departure, and the airlines begin boarding at the gate at least 30 minutes before departure.
- Plan ahead. Refer to your airlines’ websites for baggage requirements, fees, and other pertinent information. See our Airline Information page.
- Follow us on Twitter@FlyICT or on our mobile website, flywichita.com, for parking updates.
- Check-in online for your flight up to 24 hours before departure.
- Use the PARK & RIDE lot, where a free shuttle provides curbside service to and from the terminal. See our Parking Information.
- Make sure your name on your ticket matches your driver’s license.
- When packing, visit TSA’s website to learn what items are permitted and prohibited.
- Do not overstuff your bags and weigh your bags before getting to the airport. Airlines charge extra for oversize and overweight bags. Plus, because of full flights, there may not be room for large bags in the overhead bins.
- If you are 75 years or older or 12 years and younger you do not have to remove shoes at the security checkpoint.
- Check your boarding pass to see if it indicates TSA Pre✓™. If so, proceed to the pre-check lane. If you are not in a TSA pre-check lane, be ready to remove coats, take off shoes, and hand over laptops and 3-1-1 bags.
- Dress so you can breeze through security. Wear slip on shoes and little or no metal. Belt buckles set off alarms.
- Use the free cell phone lot while waiting to pick up an arriving passenger; parking in front of the terminal is not permitted. The cell phone lot is located just south of the Park & Ride lot, in front of the Air Cargo Building.
- Do not leave bags unattended in the terminal.
- Visit www.flywichita.com or use our mobile website for helpful airport information such as arrival and departure status and airline contact information.
Other helpful links:
