Oakland, Calif. – December 7, 2023: San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) projects that over 500,000 passengers will pass through the airport for the December holiday travel period from Friday, December 15th through Monday, January 1st. According to airline schedules and past TSA (Transportation Security Administration) throughput statistics, the busiest day for travel is expected to be Friday, December 22nd. On that day, the airport will host a post-screening gift-wrapping station for passengers traveling with presents for their loved ones.

“Happy holidays from all of us at OAK! After a busy Thanksgiving, we highly recommend that travelers who Park OAK reserve their parking ahead of time,” says Craig Simon, Interim Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland. “This year, we’re thanking our passengers for Flying the East Bay Way with some special in-terminal holiday activities.”

As many travelers know, traveling with wrapped gifts is not recommended, as packages may be unwrapped during the TSA screening process. On December 22nd, the airport will host a free post-screening gift-wrapping station in the connecting area between Terminals 1 and 2. Passengers with children may stop by the gift-wrapping station for a complimentary holiday gift bag. There will also be a holiday selfie station and live performances from local musicians for passengers to enjoy.

For customers driving to the airport, OAK recommends making a parking reservation at least one week in advance to guarantee entry into your chosen parking lot. Reservations are discounted and available for as low as $16 per day for customers staying more than five days. Room for non-reservation parking is limited, so we recommend visiting the parking page of the OAK website immediately before driving to the airport. All airport parking is within walking distance of the terminals.

Travelers can save time by checking in for their flight before coming to the airport using the airline’s website or mobile application. In case of airline delays or cancellations, be sure to check flight status before coming to the airport. For current TSA wait time information and packing tips, download the MyTSA mobile app. The airport recommends arriving at least two hours prior to departure for domestic travel and three hours prior for international travel.

Airport concessions and hours of operations can be found here.