Oakland Airport Expects A Quarter-Million Passengers For Thanksgiving Season. This Day Will Be The Busiest

OAKLAND, CA — Although passenger numbers are projected to remain steady this year, Oakland Airport officials are bracing for a busy Thanksgiving season.

And there's one chaotic day in particular that passengers should keep in mind when booking for the coming weeks. Hint: It's not Thanksgiving Day.

Oakland Airport officials expect about 250,000 passengers during the upcoming holiday travel season, which runs from Friday, Nov. 20 to Sunday, Nov. 29.

Sunday, Nov. 29, is expected to be the busiest travel day of the bunch, they added. It's unclear exactly how many flights are scheduled for that day.

"OAK is ready to welcome holiday travelers from across the Bay Area and beyond," Port of Oakland Director of Aviation Craig Simon said in a statement on Tuesday. "Over the past year, we’ve continued investing in the customer experience with new dining and shopping options, upgraded facilities, and other improvements designed to make travel through OAK even more convenient and enjoyable."

Some of those upgrades include the OAK Guest Pass, which allows the public to enter secure airport areas to greet and say goodbye to their loved ones as close to the gate as possible.

There are also new dining destinations, including Plum Market, District and Trader Vic's, which birthed the Mai Thai.

"Passengers are encouraged to arrive at the airport early and check with their airline for latest flight information, especially during periods of peak holiday travel and winter weather impacts across the country," officials said. "OAK recommends arriving at least two hours before domestic departures and three hours before international flights."