Travelers Encouraged to Plan Ahead and Arrive Early;
Airport Parking May Reach Capacity
(May 25, 2023) – Summer travel is expected to heat up at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport this year. As passenger volumes continue to rise, travelers are reminded to arrive at the airport early and be prepared for heavy passenger volumes.
“There is strong demand for airline travel, and we are working with our partners to help provide a convenient, positive experience for our customers,” said Ricky Smith, Executive Director/CEO of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. “We expect this to be one of our busiest summers ever, starting with the Memorial Day weekend.”
Travelers flying from BWI Marshall Airport should give themselves plenty of time for airline check-in and the security checkpoint process. Customers should plan to arrive in the airport terminal two hours prior to scheduled domestic departure, with additional time allotted for international flights.
Passengers are advised to allow for additional time if using the airport’s parking shuttles to access the terminal, as shuttle delays are possible. On-airport parking may be scarce at certain peak periods during the holiday weekend. If parking reaches capacity in specific lots, travelers will be directed to other BWI Marshall Airport parking facilities that offer free shuttle service to the airport terminal. Real-time parking and security checkpoint information is available on the airport’s website at www.BWIairport.com.
In recent months, passenger traffic has been routinely approaching levels not seen since before the global pandemic. Airline seat capacity at BWI Marshall in May is nearly flat from the same month in 2019, before the pandemic. In April, departing passenger traffic climbed 17% over the same period last year. The second busiest day at BWI Marshall Airport since the start of the pandemic was recorded earlier this month, on May 18, with 34,190 departing passengers.
Airlines continue to add or resume service at BWI Marshall. Last week, transatlantic service between BWI Marshall and Frankfurt, Germany returned for the summer with Condor’s four weekly flights. This month, Frontier Airlines also launched new service between BWI Marshall and Dallas/Fort Worth. Copa Airlines is slated to begin new international service between BWI Marshall and Panama in late June, offering easy connections across Latin America.
