Philadelphia airport braces for heavy summer travel
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Philadelphia International Airport is poised for one of the busiest summer travel seasons in its history.
Why it matters: The airport is going all out over the coming months with new flight destinations, shops and activities for travelers.
🔮 State of play: The airport is forecast to see just under 9.4 million travelers pass through its terminals from June through August.
- That's a 6.3% bump from last year and would be the busiest since the record-setting travel season of 2019.
- Driving that increase are FIFA World Cup matches, the MLB All-Star Game and celebrations of America's 250th birthday.
The big picture: Global jet fuel prices are skyrocketing as supplies dwindle due to the Iran war, which is threatening to disrupt the summer travel season.
- The result: Airlines are cutting flights and raising ticket costs and baggage fees.
✈️ Flights: Starting May 21, Philadelphia airport will add trips to:
🛫 New carrier: Allegiant Air will begin flights out of Philly starting next week.
- Spirit Airlines, which also served Philly, shut down earlier this month.
- Yes, but: Spirit Airlines accounted for roughly 2% of flights out of Philly (or around six destinations), and other carriers have increased service to make up for those losses.
🍽️ Eats: New food concessions include:
- 🌯 PKS Kosher Market (Terminal A-West)
- 🍻 Pretzels & Pints (Terminal A-East)
- 🥪 PrimoHoagies (Terminal A)
- 🍪 Insomnia Cookies (Terminal C)
⚽ Things to do: Travelers can test their pitching skills at a baseball pitching simulator and score goals at a soccer simulator.
👀 1 cool thing: Look for FIFA vending machines selling merch in the airport, including figurines, T-shirts and trading cards.
🚻 Construction: The airport continues to renovate and add new bathrooms.
What they're saying: Kate Sullivan, the airport's chief commercial officer, tells Axios that 2026 will be a catalyst for future growth at the airport — more passengers, destinations and carriers.
💡 Pro tips: Keep these tips in mind before you travel, per the airport:
- ⏰ Arrive at least two and a half hours before domestic flights and three hours for international flights.
- 🅿️ Book parking ahead of time to secure a spot. ($18 per 24 hours)
- 🚫 Parking garage C is closed for renovations.