Holiday Weekend Travel Tips from SMF

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Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 2:30 PM - For Immediate Release

Sacramento, CA - Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is gearing up for one of the peak travel times in the region. SMF is expecting approximately 130,000 outbound travelers from October 4-7. October 2024 is slated to be 10 percent higher traffic volume than 2023 with the holiday weekend luring travelers both in and out of town.

The Aftershock and GoldenSky music festivals will bring tens of thousands of visitors into Sacramento's Discovery Park the weekends of October 10-13 and 18-20 while those living in Northern California are taking the opportunity to travel elsewhere.

Travelers are encouraged to use ride share, drop off, and public transit to access the Airport.

Parking will be available, but travelers who choose to drive to the airport should expect to park in an Economy Lot and use an Airport shuttle to get to the terminals.

To help ensure smooth journeys for all travelers, we're offering a few important travel tips and updates.

Ground Transportation and Public Transit

We highly recommend using rideshare services or public transportation to ease traffic and reduce parking demand.

Rideshare: Lyft, Uber, and other rideshares have dedicated pickup areas at both terminals.

Public Transit: Sacramento Regional Transit's Route 142 and YoloBus provide daily routes to and from SMF.

When to Arrive at the Airport

Plan to arrive 2.5 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights. If using our Rental Car Center, allow extra time for drop-offs. Parking shuttles are available, with a wait time of approximately 35-45 minutes, during peak times.

Parking Information

For more information on parking availability:

Live Updates: Check real-time parking availability on the SMF website before your trip.

Clear Signage: Digital signs at lot entrances will help guide you to available spaces.

Parking Options: Be prepared to park in Economy Parking as the Garage and Daily Lot are expected to fill early. The Hourly Lot is now closed to construct a parking garage (opening 2026).

Security Tips: Get Through Faster

TSA Pre✓ and CLEAR: Enroll in TSA Pre✓ for quicker security screening or subscribe to CLEAR for a fast, touchless identification process. Both services will speed up your time in line, ensuring you spend more time relaxing before your flight. 

The Sacramento County Department of Airports is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the county's four airports: Sacramento International Airport, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field. Sacramento International Airport offers more than 155 daily nonstop flights on 12 domestic and international carriers to 36 destinations. The regional economic impact of the Sacramento County Department of Airports is more than $4 billion annually. For more information, visit sacramento.aero.

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