IND offers trends and tips for a smooth Spring Break travel experience

INDIANAPOLIS – As an especially cold and snowy Indiana winter winds down, the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is ready to help passengers get off to a great start on Spring Break travel, with many looking to get an early dose of warm weather at popular getaway destinations. This year, Spring Break vacationers have a number of new flights to choose from, including new Saturday nonstop service to Montego Bay, Jamaica via Delta Air Lines. Delta has also added nonstop service on Saturdays to Orlando, Tampa, and Ft. Myers, all of which Southwest/AirTran also serves on a daily basis, including with its own recently enhanced Saturday schedule.

For those wanting to vacation to the West Coast, American Airlines now offers daily nonstop service to Los Angeles (also served by Delta), and United Airlines has recently launched daily non-stop service to San Francisco.

Although Spring Break schedules at area schools vary, the busiest travel periods at IND are projected to be:

March 21-24

March 28-April 1

April 5-8

Spring Break travelers can get a head start on their vacations by taking advantage of the closest parking to the IND terminal and save money, thanks to special reduced rates on the fifth floor of the Terminal Garage. For stays of seven days or more, a daily rate of only $14, not subject to any additional taxes or fees, applies. No coupons are necessary; the reduced pricing will be calculated automatically upon payment.

SPRING BREAK TRAVEL SUMMARY

According to Travelocity, a global online travel company, the top 10 family spring break destinations this year are:

1. South Florida
2. Orlando
3. Phoenix
4. Fort Myers
5. Las Vegas
6. Cancun
7. Los Angeles
8. Tampa
9. Maui
10. Honolulu

IND ACTIVITY

Below is a summary of average daily scheduled airline capacity (departing flights) between March 1 and April 15 last year vs. this year:

REAL-TIME ECONOMY PARKING SHUTTLE BUS DISPLAYS HELP REDUCE STRESS

A new technology at IND is giving passengers precise, real-time bus location information during the short wait between parkIND shuttles departing from the Economy Lot. Monitors indicating when the next bus will arrive are now installed in each of the 13 Economy Lot Shelters. Although parkIND shuttles continuously ferry passengers between the Economy Lot and the Ground Transportation Center (GTC), the monitors help reassure passengers that the wait for the next bus will be a short one. Still in the testing phase, the system also includes a display at the GTC curbside and will be expanded to include additional resources to update returning passengers catching shuttles back to the Economy Lot.

NEW HOURLY PARKING AT TERMINAL GARAGE

A new feature at the Terminal Garage is perfect for people meeting or dropping off Spring Break travelers. IND’s Hourly Parking offers a dedicated section with the best parking spots in the garage, on the third floor adjacent to the walkway to the terminal. Even better, the dedicated area can be used at no additional cost to standard garage spaces for parking stays of 4.5 hours or less. To access the area, guests should follow signs on the third floor for Hourly Parking.

SPRING BREAK PRICING AND FARES

With the price of oil remaining high and airline consolidation a continuing phenomenon, upward pressure on airfares remains. According to Travelocity, the average domestic airfare for Spring Break travel is nearly 15 percent higher this year compared to 2013.

Still, there are steps passengers can take to increase their chances of finding a good fare that offers an economic alternative to driving, especially when considering that gas prices are also elevated:

• Be flexible and avoid traveling during peak periods. Consider traveling from Wednesday to Wednesday or Tuesday to Tuesday rather than Saturday to Saturday.
• If you are your own travel agent, be sure to do a broad search to ensure you get the best rates. It's especially important to check fares on airline websites and not just online travel sites. In a move to cut costs and increase revenues, some airlines withhold fare and flight data from online travel agencies in favor of using their own websites to sell tickets.
• Consider off-season travel, when hotels have excess inventory and consumers can find the best deals.
• Be cognizant of airline baggage fees; packing lightly can free up some room in a Spring Break budget.

GENERAL TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS

For the best travel experience this spring, passengers should keep these tips in mind:

• On peak Spring Break travel days, including Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sundays between now and early April, passengers are advised to allow ample time for checking bags, clearing security, and reaching the gate area to board flights. The early morning hours are the busiest at IND, especially for flights schedules to depart between 6 and 8 a.m. Passengers should check with their airlines for specific arrival time recommendations.
• Checking in online/printing a boarding pass at home can save time at the airport.
• To save even more time, premium parking, including both valet and self-park options, is available on Level 3 of the Terminal Garage. With plentiful elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and a direct connection to the terminal via an enclosed pedestrian bridge, IND's Terminal Garage offers maximum convenience, comfort, and accessibility. For those who self-park, there are about 6,000 spaces in Economy Parking and nearly 6,000 spaces in the garage.
• Make things easier by dropping of passengers and luggage before parking your car: The driver of your party can access the curbside without any parking fees to drop off passengers and their luggage and then easily return to park at either the Terminal Garage or the Economy Lot.
• Drivers who simply want to park and wait for an arriving party should use the new dedicated hourly parking on Level 3 of the Terminal Garage or the Cell Phone Lot, which has 100 first-come, first-served spaces.
• Take advantage of IND's new Service Plaza, which offers the closest fuel station to the terminal. It also features a Subway restaurant, Circle K convenience store, and additional automotive services.
• Severe weather events often take place during the spring travel season. Know your airline's policies for changes and cancellations. Consider travel insurance to cover the cost of travel expenses like unused hotel rooms or prepaid deposits in the event that flights are cancelled or delayed.
• Although IND offers nonstop flights to most of the top Spring Break travel destinations, some itineraries may involve connections through major hubs, often near congested airspace. Delays impacting these hubs can affect passengers departing from Indianapolis, so passengers should monitor conditions at connecting points as well as the local weather and check the status of all of their flights prior to departing for the airport; go to www.indianapolisairport.com, where real-time flight data is refreshed every 60 seconds, or visit your airline's website.
• For the latest news and information about airport security procedures and policies, visit www.tsa.gov, the Transportation Security Administration website. In general, travelers should be aware of the following:
  • Passengers 75 and older or 12 and under can leave shoes on when going through security checkpoints.
  • TSA's Secure Flight Program is in effect. It requires airlines to collect passenger information including full name as it appears on the government-issued photo ID presented to TSA screening officers, date-of-birth, and gender. Be sure you use the information that appears on your photo ID when booking your flight or your airline may not be able to issue a boarding pass.
  • All passengers are now subject to varied layers of security screening protocols, including Advanced Imaging Technology, explosives trace detection, canine teams, and patdowns, among other measures.
  • Wear slip-on shoes, if possible, avoiding those with laces and zippers.
  • Pack properly and remember to follow TSA's 3-1-1 rule for liquids, gels, and aerosols in carry-on bags when passing through security checkpoints. Lotions, shampoos, toothpaste, and other such items must be 3.4 ounces in size or smaller and stored in one (1) one-quart plastic zip-top bag. One bag per passenger may be carried on board the aircraft.
  • For complete details about permitted and prohibited items; travelers with disabilities or medical conditions; and traveling with children, batteries, electronic devices, or special items (like musical instruments or ice skates), visit www.tsa.gov.

About the Indianapolis Airport Authority

The Indianapolis Airport Authority owns and operates Indiana’s largest airport system. In addition to the Indianapolis International Airport, its facilities include the Downtown Heliport, Eagle Creek Airpark, Hendricks County Airport, Indianapolis Regional Airport, and Metropolitan Airport. IND has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing it as a leader within its class, including best airport in North America in 2010, 2012, and 2013 in Airports Council International’s annual Airport Service Quality awards. IND is the first airport in the U.S. to win LEED® certification for an entire terminal campus, and the airport has won recognition for excellent customer service, concessions programs, and art and architecture.

IND’s economic impact in Central Indiana is more than $4.5 billion annually, and about 10,000 people work at the airport each day. IND serves more than 7 million business and leisure travelers each year and averages 138 daily flights to 34 nonstop destinations. Home of the world's second-largest FedEx Express operation and the nation’s eighth-largest cargo facility, IND is committed to becoming the airport system of choice for both passenger and cargo service. For more information, visit IND’s Facebook page at Indianapolis International Airport and Twitter page at @INDairport.