Airport Survival Guide for the Holidays

The holiday season is the most magical time of year, but there's nothing magical about crowded airport terminals, long security lines, and rushing to your gate. The holiday season, which extends from Thanksgiving to New Year's, is the busiest travel season of the year. However, just because it's notoriously busy doesn't mean you can't enjoy a smooth, pleasant, stress-free travel experience. Don't let your travels put a damper on the holiday magic— follow these savvy holiday travel tips from Expresso Airport Parking.

1.       Check in online. Check in online up to 24 hours before your flight's scheduled departure, and print your boarding pass at home. Doing so will save you time at the airport, as well as lock in your seat assignment, make you aware of any changes to your schedule, and reduce the chance that you'll get bumped if the flight's overbooked. Many airlines also give you the option of checking in from your smartphone and using a digital ticket with a digital bar code as your boarding pass, rather than a paper ticket. Having your ticket on your smartphone allows you to retrieve it quickly at the security screening and your gate.  When you check in online, whether through a desktop or smartphone, you can also prepay for your baggage, saving even more time.

2.       Pack light. If your trip allows it, stick to carry-on luggage to avoid the check-in line and baggage fees. As long as you've checked in online, you can head straight to security with the boarding pass you've printed at home or have on your smartphone. Be sure to check with the airline to see the size requirements for carry-on bags and to ensure there is no fee for luggage going in the overhead compartment. While most airlines allow passengers to bring a personal item and carry-on, budget airlines, including Frontier and Spirit, charge a fee for carry-ons placed in the overhead bins.

3.       Get there early. As the holiday season is a peak period for travelers, it's more important than ever to arrive at the airport early. While it's usually recommended to arrive 2 hours before a domestic flight, you should give yourself more time to account for traffic, parking, security screenings and finding your gate.

4.       Ship holiday gifts. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recommends shipping your holiday gifts or waiting until you reach your final destination to wrap them. This saves you the trouble of rewrapping the presents, should the TSA need to unwrap them for further inspection.

5.       Come prepared. On a peak travel day, it’s more likely that you'll be waiting around longer than usual or possibly experience flight delays. In case you'll be at the airport for a while, make sure you come prepared with charged electronics and portable chargers, entertainment, snacks, a water bottle (which can be filled once you've gone through security) and comfortable clothes and shoes.

6.       Reserve parking ahead of time. Like with the airport itself, the airport's parking lots will be very crowded during prime travel dates. Unfortunately, on-site airport parking services operate on a first-come, first-serve basis and do not allow travelers to reserve a spot. Luckily, off-site long-term parking services like Expresso Airport Parking do. Our long-term Oakland Airport parking service let's travelers make guaranteed parking reservations, so they waste no time on parking. Once you park, you can enjoy complimentary refreshments and receive flight status updates in our lounge, or get a quick shuttle ride to your terminal.

Expresso Airport Parking wishes you a Happy Holidays and hopes you follow our tips to ensure a pleasurable travel experience!

4 Tips for Finding Cheap Thanksgiving Flights

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. If you haven't already booked your flight to visit relatives or enjoy a weekend getaway, now's the time to start seriously thinking about booking. Thanksgiving is the biggest travel time of the year, and the longer you wait, the more expensive the fares will be.

According to CheapAir.com – which tracks 11,000 airfares for flights during the holiday season to determine the average fare for the most popular markets – the average fare on Wednesday, Nov. 4 was $483, up from $456 last month. The upside is fuel costs are down this year, but as planes start to fill up, prices will increase. With that said, it's crunch time. Consider these five tips for finding a cheap Thanksgiving flight from our long term Oakland Airport parking service.

Be Flexible

Unless you're flexible with your dates, you won’t be able to get a cheap flight. Most people want to leave on Wednesday, Nov. 25 and come back on Sunday. Because these days are in high demand, airlines aren't going to offer deals on those days. Depending on the destination, your best bet is to leave on Friday, Nov. 20 or Saturday, Nov. 21 and return on Monday, Nov. 30 at the earliest.

Be Wary of Low-cost Carriers

Though low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier seem to offer cheaper fares, the flights can end up costing way more than you've anticipated. This is because low-cost carriers offer cheaper rates up front but then tack on extra fees for things like assigned seats, carry-on luggage and checked baggage. Make sure you read the fine print and take all of the costs into account before picking a flight, whether it's with a low-cost or mainstream airline.

Choose an Alternate Airport

Along with being flexible on your dates of travel, you also want to be flexible with the airport. Some airports offer better rates than others. For instance, the San Francisco International Airport tends to have higher rates than the Oakland International Airport, which is located just 31 miles away. So, when searching for fares, compare the prices of all the nearby airports.

Split Up Your Party

As planes begin to fill up, it becomes harder to find cheap flights for a family of four. Splitting up into groups of two will make it easier to find a flight and snag a better deal.

By following these tips, you'll be able to find the best deals on Thanksgiving flights. Along with flights, consider the airport parking service. If you're traveling out of the Oakland Airport, Expresso Airport Parking offers the most affordable parking rates and the most convenient services. Visit us online today to view our Oakland Airport long term parking rates and book your guaranteed reservation.

5 Tips for Flying over the Holidays

Are you planning to visit family or vacation abroad over the holidays? The holiday season, which spans from Thanksgiving through New Year's, is notorious for being the busiest time of year for traveling. Though airports can be busier and more crowded, with the right preparation and planning, you can ensure a stress-free and enjoyable holiday travel experience. Consider our helpful tips for flying over the holidays:

1.       Book your flight early. The earlier you book your flight, the better. Ticket prices tend to rise the closer we get to the holidays, so book your flight as soon as you know your plans. Booking your flight early will be better for your wallet and give you peace of mind knowing your holiday plans are already taken care of. If you have specific dates or times you need to travel, you'll have more options the earlier you book.

2.       Travel on off-peak travel days. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year. Instead of traveling on Wednesday, leave the night before or early in the morning on Thanksgiving Day. Also avoid traveling on Christmas Eve if you can.

3.       Pick a morning flight. As evidenced by flight statistics, planes traveling earlier in the day are more likely to arrive on time. And, if your flight gets cancelled, you have a better chance of getting on another flight that same day. There also tends to be less people traveling in the early morning, which means you probably won't experience long security lines or crowded airport terminals.

4.       Ship your gifts. The TSA recommends shipping wrapped presents or waiting to wrap them until you reach your destination because they may have to unwrap a gift to examine it.

5.       Make a guaranteed parking reservation. If you'll be driving yourself to the airport, make a guaranteed parking reservation with an off-site Oakland Airport parking service.  On-site airport parking lots don't offer guaranteed reservations, and on busy days it's almost impossible to find a spot. Save yourself the time and headache by choosing Expresso Airport Parking. We provide guaranteed parking reservations on indoor and outdoor self-parking and premium valet parking, as well as the most affordable rates. And, through our Oakland Park and Fly program and Oak parking coupons, you can save even more on airport parking.

6 Essentials All Travelers Should Bring on the Plane

Whether your flight is two hours long or ten, what you pack in your carry-on is important to ensuring you are comfortable during the duration of your flight. To ensure a pleasurable flight, do not leave home without these six carry-on essentials from Expresso Parking, the best and cheapest long term Oakland Airport parking service.

1.       Neck pillow – No matter how tired you are, it can be difficult to get comfortable enough to fall asleep in an airplane seat. This problem can be averted by bringing along a comfy neck pillow. A neck pillow will also keep you from straining your neck while sleeping on the plane or accidentally falling asleep on the person next to you.

2.       Headphones – Some airlines will provide passengers with headphones on the plane, sometimes for an additional fee. Just to be safe, you should pack your own headphones. Headphones are key to canceling out noise and listening to your favorite music.  

3.       Medicine – Are you prone to headaches, joint pain, nausea or anxiety? If so, you should bring your prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs, such as Aleve or Dramamine, to help you remain comfortable and calm throughout the flight.  

4.       Empty Water Bottle – It's important that you stay hydrated during your travels. While you can’t take a bottle of water through security, you can take an empty water bottle with you, which you can fill up for free after going through security.

5.       E-Reader – Reading is a great way to keep yourself entertained during a long flight. While some books are large and heavy, a Kindle e-reader is small and light, taking up little space. Plus, with an e-reader you have access to tons of books, so once you finish one book you can begin another.

6.       Lotion – The pressurized air inside the plane can cause your skin to become dry. Lotion will keep your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed. Just make sure the lotion is in a container less than 8 oz. and stored in a ziplock bag that meets the airport's security requirements.