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The holidays are a busy time for everyone and Regina International Airport (YQR) is no exception.
James Bogusz, President and CEO of Regina Airport Authority, said the upcoming week will be eventful at the busy transportation hub.
“We’ve got some days that are almost going to rival the lead up to Christmas in terms of passenger volumes and busyness at the airport,” he said.
On an average day, YQR could see around 1,700 departing passengers but during the holidays this number could jump to around 2,400 passengers.
“That’s a big difference, because a lot of those passengers are all departing at a very similar time, creating congestion in places like security,” Bogusz said.
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In a written statement, Saskatoon International Airport said the season is the busiest times of the year for the YXE, with around 4,500 passengers expected to travel through the airport each day over the next couple of weeks.
Bogusz encourages travellers to arrive early for upcoming flights.
“This means at least two hours before a domestic flight, and the airlines are even recommending up to three hours before an international or trans-border flight,” he said.
“We, of course, have that daily flight to Minneapolis now, and lots of sun destinations going out. So on those days it gets very, very busy at the airport.”
Bogusz said numbers at the airport are now reaching pre-pandemic levels.
“I wouldn’t quantify Christmasses at YQR to be too busy, last year was pretty decent, but this year feels like the 2019 days,” he said.
“In November, we actually hit 105 per cent of 2019 levels when it comes to passengers.”
Bogusz won’t have December’s numbers until mid-Janurary but he’s feeling good.
“I would say with quite a lot of confidence the airport’s near full recovery at this point,” Bogusz said.
In the New Year, there’s lots to look forward to at YQR.
On Dec. 19, the airport announced a new daily flight to Denver, Colorado starting in May 2025.
“This is a massive hub for North America,” he said. “In fact, based on 2023 data, (Denver) is the third busiest airport in the United States and the sixth busiest in the world, and now we will have access to it directly on a daily basis from southern Saskatchewan. It’s a big, big deal, and we’re thrilled to announce that.”
Flights to Denver are ready for purchase on United.com and will soon be available for purchase on AirCanada.com.
Bogusz is thankful to Saskatchewan residents for supporting the airport in 2024 and he hopes for a positive 2025.
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