The holiday travel season is upon us — and the Long Beach Airport is expected to be busier than usual starting this week through the duration of the yuletide.

LGB is expecting around 88,000 travelers to pass through its terminal during peak holiday travel weeks — including this week, because of Thanksgiving — according to a Tuesday, Nov. 21, announcement. That’s about 23% more than LGB’s average traffic during the regular season, and a 25% uptick in passengers compared to the airport’s pre-pandemic travel numbers.

On the busiest travel days, the announcement said, LGB anticipates welcoming about 14,000 people.

“Our award-winning Long Beach Airport stands out as a trusted launchpad for holiday getaways, offering a seamless and stress-free travel experience even on the busiest travel days of the year,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in the announcement. “Throughout its century-long history, LGB has consistently met the needs of travelers, and that sets it apart from other airports.”

With the increased congestion, city officials are encouraging travelers to come to the airport prepared in order to prevent any additional stress or delays.

Travelers, according to the announcement, should follows these tips:

• Arrive at least an hour and a half early, especially for morning flights, to ensure they have enough time to get through security.
• Verify flight schedules in advance.
• Pack properly to avoid delays at TSA.
• Download the LGB Airport app to plan parking or drop-off at the airport before arrival.

Long Beach’s main website, which also houses the airport’s website, is currently offline as the result of a cyber incident last week. The City Council declared a local emergency relating to the incident on Friday, Nov. 17, which officials said would allow the investigation and response to the attack to move more swiftly.

The city has yet to provide an update on the status of the investigation since Friday. A stripped-down version of the city’s website, longbeach.gov, was brought back online Thursday afternoon.

That website houses basic information, such as links to the city’s social media platforms, phone numbers and the latest about the cybersecurity incident. Long Beach Airport flight schedules are also available at that site.