The holidays are just around the corner, and that means coveted time with family and friends. It also may mean dealing with not-so-much-coveted holiday travel. With Thanksgiving just two weeks away, many of us have already made our holiday travel plans, or soon will. For some, that includes air travel into or out of SUN.
Just a reminder that with the holiday travel season from Thanksgiving through the first part of January, planning ahead and getting yourself to the airport a little earlier than normal is highly recommended. While many of us enjoy the ease of travel through our small airport (especially the shorter wait times for check-in and security screening), due to increased general travel demand and changes in TSA security search procedures, allowing a little extra time means less stress and a better travel experience during the busy holiday season. We highly recommend that you arrive between 90 minutes to two hours before your flight.
Contrary to what some folks think, being the airport manager doesn’t give me the power to make you get to the airport early. Nor can I keep you from getting on your flight if you don’t heed our advice and you get here late (yes, I have been accused of that before). Simply put, it is the goal of the airport, the airlines, and the TSA to get you to where you’re going with the least possible amount of stress. Travel is not much fun these days, but a little advanced planning and a few extra minutes out of your day can make all the difference in a better travel experience.
Speaking of getting you where you are going, one of the unique perks of traveling to/from SUN in the winter is our busing service. Yes, Mother Nature and the snow that brings many of you and your families and friends here during the winter sometimes lead to flight interruptions. The good news is that the airlines and our air service partner, Fly Sun Valley Alliance, have a fantastic busing service that will typically get you to/from the Twin Falls airport (Delta and United airlines), or the Boise Airport (Alaska airlines), if your flight is diverted from SUN because of poor weather. While we would all like to get you directly to and from SUN, the primary goal of our busing service is to help you accomplish your travel to/from the Wood River Valley in a day.
For the busing program to be fully successful and to reduce impacts on SUN travelers as much as possible, it is critical that you and/or your family monitor the local Weather Diversion Hotline(s) for your airline. It is also critical that you provide your airline with current contact information so they can get ahold of you if your flight is impacted.
More information on diversions and the individual airline weather hotlines can be found on our website at https://iflysun.com/diversion-services/.
Enjoy a happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends, and safe travels to your destination — wherever that may be this holiday season.
Sincerely,
SUN Airport Manager
