Sarasota-Bradenton Airport Opens New Thanksgiving Holiday Parking Option for $5 a Day

Nov. 15—BRADENTON — Whether traveling by air or car for the Thanksgiving holiday, you can expect lots of company out there, and your travel will be more expensive, too.

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, one of the nation's fastest growing airports, is adding parking to handle the expected overflow.

SRQ will be offering holiday discount parking at 8101 North Tamiami Trail from Monday, Nov. 21, through Wednesday, Nov. 23, with shuttle service taking passengers directly to the terminal.

The cost is $5 per day with limited availability.

SRQ has also leased space from Circle K on former dog track property south of University Parkway to assist with any overflow.

"It's one of the busiest times of the year, if not the busiest, because it is so condensed," said Rick Piccolo, the airport's president and CEO.

On top of that, SRQ will be adding seven new cities served in the next week: five by Allegiant and two by Southwest.

Allegiant's new flights include Peoria on Nov. 17, Baltimore on Nov. 18, Richmond on Nov. 19, Louisville on Nov. 19 and Tulsa on Nov. 19.

Southwest's new flights include Austin and Cleveland on Nov. 19.

Air travelers should:

— Check-in early online.

— Monitor flight status using the air carrier's mobile app.

— Arrive 2-3 hours before scheduled departure.

— Pack medications and an extra set of clothes in your carry-on bag, just in case your flight is delayed or canceled.

Crowded highways

Even though gasoline prices are trending higher toward the holiday, that won't stop drivers from hitting the road.

AAA predicts 54.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. Travel in Florida is forecast to be the busiest since 2005.

More than 2.9 million Floridians will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving. That's 50,000 more Florida travelers than last year's holiday and nearly 22,000 more than in 2019, AAA said.

In Florida, the highest daily average gas price for Thanksgiving was set in 2013 at $3.46 per gallon. On Monday, drivers paid an average price of $3.55 per gallon. That's 20 cents more than what Florida drivers paid last Thanksgiving.

"Higher gas prices don't seem to be enough to stop people from traveling to be with family and friends," Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA — The Auto Club Group, said in a press release. "We've found that when gas prices are high, travelers look to offset the added cost by staying in a less expensive hotel or spending less on shopping and dining out."

No surprise, it's all more expensive

Travel prices are mostly higher this year, AAA says:

— Airfares cost 22% more than last year. The lowest round trip airfare costs $166 compared to $135 in 2021.

— Hotels cost 17% more than 2021. A mid-range AAA Three Diamond property costs $218 per night compared to $187 last year.

— Car rentals cost 7% less. The average daily rate is $90 compared to $98 last year.

This story was originally published November 15, 2022 12:23 PM.

___

(c)2022 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.)

Visit The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.) at www.bradenton.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.