The San Diego Airport expects some 55,000 travelers every day from now until New Years. Being prepared, they said, will make the experience much less stressful.
The best ways to speed up the process are to identify parking ahead of time and be prepared for security checks, said Rebecca Bloomfield, spokesperson for the San Diego Airport.
"Remember the '3-1-1 rule,' which is three ounces of liquid, one quart bag, one per passenger," Bloomfield said. "Have that out, take your jacket off, take your shoes off and just be ready to go through that checkpoint."
For parking, she said, there are several on-airport parking lots, including one on the north side at Washington Street and Pacific Coast Highway that is offering $2-off per day coupons right now.
Also, Terminal 2 has a new dual-level roadway separating drop-off and pick-up passengers for less congestion at the curb.
There is an expedited security pre-check option available for eligible passengers that allows some travelers to skip to shoe and jacket removal.
Military, seniors and children under 12-years-old can apply for this service, according to TSA spokesman Nico Melendez. Some passengers in the standard lanes can also be pulled randomly for the quicker security checks. Eligibility requirements and application information are available on the TSA website.
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Melendez said the TSA still uses body scanners, but the software has been updated for faster security scans.
"Now the image is one standard photo per passenger and it's visible right there at the security check point," he said.
The airport also has a lost and found that stores misplaced items for 30 to 45 days. Melendez said there is a link on their website or travelers can call about lost items.
As for items not allowed on board, put them in your check bag, Melendez said.
"Almost everything that we find at the security check point that's not allowed through the check point is allowed in checked bags, including guns," Melendez said.
More information on airport security, smoother boarding and expedited check-in is available on TSA's website, on Instagram @TSA or by using the My TSA smartphone app, which includes and interactive "Can I Bring" feature. For more, click here. For more on holiday air travel tips, click here.
