November 21, 2013
As we prepare for a busy holiday season at Mid-Continent Airport, airport officials offer these travel tips to make your travel through ICT and your connecting and destination airports easier.
Travelers should expect busy airports and full flights. According to preliminary loads from the airlines, the busiest days are expected to be Wednesday, November 27, Saturday, November 30, and Sunday, December 1.
Several enhancements to the airport’s parking lots have been implemented. Since September, 380 parking spaces have been added in the Park & Ride Lot. In November, 70 spaces were added in the Long-Term Lot. Within the past month a second shuttle bus was added to the Park & Ride shuttle route to reduce passenger wait times. During the holidays, a third shuttle will be provided in the Park & Ride Lot at peak times. The west entrance to the Long-Term Lot was recently opened so both west and east entrances are available to the Long-Term Lot.
The following tips are provided to help you prepare for the busy holiday travel season:
- Travelers are encouraged to arrive a minimum of two hours before their flight boarding time to allow enough time to park, check in, and get through security. The checkpoint opens at 4:15 a.m. Ticket counters generally close 30 minutes prior to departure, and the airlines begin boarding at the gate at least 30 minutes before departure.
- Plan ahead. Refer to your airlines’ websites for baggage requirements, fees, and other pertinent information. See our Airline Information page.
- When packing, visit TSA’s website to learn what items are permitted and prohibited.
- Check-in online for your flight up to 24 hours before departure.
- Use the PARK & RIDE lot, where a free shuttle provides curbside service to and from the terminal. See our Parking Information.
- If you are 75 years or older or 12 years and younger you do not have to remove shoes at the security checkpoint
- If you are not in a TSA pre-check line, be ready to remove coats, take off shoes, hand over laptops and 3-1-1 bags. If you are a TSA Pre-check member, proceed to the pre-check lane.
- Dress so you can breeze through security. Wear slip on shoes and little or no metal. Belt buckles set off alarms.
- Use the free cell phone lot while waiting to pick up an arriving passenger; parking in front of the terminal is not permitted. The cell phone lot is located just south of the Park & Ride lot, in front of the Air Cargo Building.
- If you have not done so, join our Thanks Again rewards program and earn miles or points for your purchases at the airport on shopping, dining and parking. Also download the Thanks Again app so while traveling, the app will tell you which airports have the Thanks Again program and which vendors participate. This will allow you to earn even more rewards.
- Visit www.flywichita.com or use our mobile website for helpful airport information such as arrival and departure status and airline contact information.
Due to construction, travelers are also reminded the following parking limitations remain in effect:
- Short-term parking remains strictly limited to four (4) hours
- Vehicles remaining in the short-term parking lot for more than four (4) hours will be charged the maximum rate of $50. Vehicles remaining in the lot overnight will be towed at the owner’s expense.
- Parking charges apply to all customers, including those patrons with ADA accessible hang-tags and permits. ADA accessible parking is available in the PARK & RIDE lot.
Considering recent security events at LAX, air travelers may observe an increased law enforcement presence at airports across the country, including Wichita Mid-Continent. This increased presence may include police officers patrolling terminal areas with tactical weapons that travelers are not typically accustom to observing at domestic commercial airports.
