6.4M Travelers to Use Port Authority Bridges, Airports, & Tunnels Over Memorial Day Weekend

On May 23, 2024

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced that nearly 6.4 million travelers are expected to use its airports and vehicular crossings during the 6-day peak travel period from Thursday, May 23 to Tuesday, May 28. The total would be a record for the Memorial Day travel period.

The agency estimates that approximately 4.2 million will use its bridges and tunnels over the holiday period, consistent with volume from the same period in 2023. To accommodate anticipated significant volume, all ongoing repairs and construction projects at its crossings will be suspended from 5 a.m. Friday, May 24, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, May 28. A separate travel advisory for any lane closures or service changes for the remainder of that week will be issued next week.

The agency anticipates nearly 2.2 million passengers will travel through John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and New York-Stewart International airports from Thursday through Tuesday, an increase of about 0.2 percent from the all-time high seen during same period in 2023. Friday and Monday are anticipated to be the busiest days at the airports. International seat capacity is expected to be 7 percent higher than the same period in 2023, reflecting a continued resurgence and interest in international travel.

The Port Authority strongly encourages all travelers to plan ahead and allow for additional travel time. Travelers should expect longer wait times due to higher passenger volume and ongoing construction. All passengers on domestic flights should arrive to the airport at least two hours in advance of their departure time and passengers on international flights should arrive at the airports at least three hours in advance of their departure times. Travelers are strongly advised to check the Port Authority’s air travel tips for information on preparing for their trips, including how to find real-time wait time information for TSA security lines, information on parking lot availability, AirTrain maps and schedules, directions for public transit and for-hire vehicle information.

Due to an expected increase in air travelers during the holiday, the Port Authority strongly encourages customers to pre-book parking or to use alternate transportation modes to the airports including mass transit, for-hire-vehicles and taxis as on-airport parking facilities at John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia airports may be unavailable or full for an extended period of time.

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