Calgary Airport Holiday Travel Tips

Thousands of people will go through security at the Calgary International Airport over the next few weeks as the holiday rush kicks into high gear and officials have a few tips to get you to the gate on time.

YYC official's first recommendation is that travellers leave plenty of time to get to the airport and to allow for inclement weather and road conditions.

They also suggest arriving early for flights to compensate for an increase in passenger traffic and baggage volume.

As a general rule, one hour should be the minimum for flights within Canada and two hours for destinations outside of Canada.

Passengers can make the check-in process smoother by visiting the airline’s website and using the online service to check-in and choose seats.

Each airline determines its own luggage allowance policies so check the individual websites for information on weight, number of bags permitted, number of bags to be checked without charge, as well as size and number of carry-on items permitted on-board.

Screening before heading to the gate can take a long time but passengers can also speed up this process by checking the CATSA website for baggage allowances and restrictions.

CATSA also has a mobile site so travelers can check security screening wait times.

From December 21-24, several choirs, bands, and quartets will be performing throughout the airport as well as the “Snow Queen”, YYC’s first living statue.

Volunteers will also be wrapping last minute presents behind security for those travelling through Concourses A or D from December 20-24.

For more information visit the Calgary International Airport website.