TRAVEL

What to expect if you are traveling through Milwaukee's airport this Spring Break

Beck Andrew Salgado
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
What flyers should expect ahead of one of the busiest weeks of the year at Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport.

With spring break arriving for many students and parents, Wisconsin travelers are eagers to flock to warmer destinations for a taste of what's to come.

Ahead of what could be one of the busiest weeks of the year at Milwaukee's Mitchell international Airport, here's what to expect if you plan to travel this week.

Packed flights to warm weather destinations

Airport officials expect the peak departure day will be on Saturday, March 25, with more than 12,000 people flying from MKE on 34 nonstop flights to warm weather hotspots. These are expected to be the busiest warm-weather destinations this year:

  • Orlando 
  • Fort Myers 
  • Phoenix 
  • Tampa 
  • Fort Lauderdale 
  • Cancun, Mexico 
  • Sarasota 
  • Montego Bay, Jamaica 

Last year, March was the busiest month for travel at Mitchell as loosening restrictions resulted in consumers partaking in “revenge travel,” or traveling more often in 2022 after putting off vacation plans in the years prior due to COVID-19.

In total, there were 533,643 flights last March, almost 200,000 more than in 2021, and airport officials are expecting similar numbers this year as travel continues to get closer to pre-pandemic flight numbers.

Arrive early in anticipation of long lines through TSA

While TSA lines are known for being swift at Mitchell, the influx of passengers over the next week is expected to back them up. Becasue of this, airport officials are asking travelers to arrive to the airport at least two hours before departure time.

Enrolling in text alerts with your airline's app is also recommended in order to stay up-to-date on status of your flight.

Parking can also be a hassle this time of year, but downloading the MKE SmartPark app will allow you to make a reservation to guarantee parking availability. You can also use your smartphone to enter/exit the lot and earn loyalty points for free airport parking.

Parking options at Mitchell include garage parking for $14 a day, Surface parking for $15 a day and saver parking — located further from the terminals — for $8 a day.

New Southwest Airlines flight options will be available this spring

Southwest Airlines has added new routes to accommodate the demand for warm weather destinations by servicing seasonal routes.

Southwest's seasonal spring service includes daily direct flights to Sarasota that are available through April 10 and Saturday-only direct flights to Cancun, Mexico, that are available through April 8.