This news update is brought to you by the City of Long Beach. To find out more about City programs, projects, initiatives and services, please visit longbeach.gov. To find events near you, please visit the City calendar at www.longbeach.gov/events. And follow us on social media @longbeachcity.
Long Beach Airport Gears Up for Busy Thanksgiving and Offers Travel Tips
By Staff Writer
Published on Wed, Nov 19, 2025
With Thanksgiving travelers swooping in, Long Beach Airport (LGB) expects to welcome about 110,000 passengers over a 10-day stretch from Friday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 30.
The busiest day is expected to be the Sunday after Thanksgiving as passengers make their way back home after the holiday. Other heavy travel days include the first Friday and Sunday of the travel period, plus the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Each of those dates is expected to bring more than 12,000 travelers through LGB—about a 20% bump over a typical November day.
LGB is leaning into the season with festive décor, cheerful concessions, and live music that takes full advantage of the Airport’s well-loved indoor-outdoor concourse.
Travelers can make their holiday trip a little smoother with a few simple tips:
- Aim to arrive about 90 minutes early, especially if you’re catching a morning flight, so security lines don’t add any last-minute stress.
- If you’re picking someone up, there are convenient cell phone waiting lots at Lakewood Boulevard and East Donald Douglas Drive.
- Parking is available in Structures A and B, and you can even reserve a spot ahead of time online. Valet service is also an option.
- Give your airline’s baggage rules and flight schedule a quick check before you head out.
- Pack with screening in mind, and when in doubt, the TSA’s What Can I Bring? page can help clear things up.
- If you’re traveling with a pet or service animal, make note of the relief area north of the Historic Terminal and be sure to check your airline’s animal-travel guidelines in advance.
Ranked as the second-best airport in the nation by The Washington Post, Long Beach Airport offers easy access to both Los Angeles and Orange counties with nonstop flights to 21 destinations and one-stop connections to hundreds more worldwide.
