Appleton Airport predicts busy holiday & winter travel season

The window is open now if you want to save on holiday travel. According to leaders at Appleton International Airport (ATW), October is the best time to book those flights for Thanksgiving and Christmas to take advantage of lower air fares. And this year travelers will be trading fir trees for palm trees.

“Starting this fall we’re adding even more warm weather destinations with Gulf Shores, Fort Myers, and Orlando flights coming on board,” said Airport Director Abe Weber. “Allegiant’s direct flights and low fares are a big reason why Wisconsin travelers are starting their vacations through the Appleton airport,” Weber said.

The Thanksgiving travel season is predicted to be the airport’s busiest time of year. Last year, the airport reported a 37% increase in passengers from Sunday 11/24/24 to Sunday 12/1/24. This year ATW is up an additional 6% in flights and has 13% more seats for the same Thanksgiving timeframe.

“We are experiencing a passenger increase of 18% through the end of September and we’re expecting a seat increase of 16% through the end of the year which is an enormous jump for us,” Weber said. “And we are on pace to break last year’s record of 1-million passengers traveling through ATW by early November.”

Weber shared travel projections for the 2025 holiday season:

• October: Flights out of ATW have increased 7%, seats have increased 17% over 2024,
• November – Flights out of ATW have increased 10%, seats have increased 23% over 2024,
• December – Flights out of ATW have increased 5%, seats have increased 10% over 2024.

“Our carriers are responding to the strong customer demand for flights out of Appleton,” Weber said. “During the holidays and all year long, we offer 22 nonstop flights that connect directly to vacation destinations or major hubs in the United States. You can literally get anywhere out of Appleton,” he said.

NOT TOO EARLY TO PLAN WINTER GETAWAYS

If booking a warm weather getaway is on your list for 2026, it’s not too early to plan. In the new year, ATW will have 5 airlines flying to 15 warm weather destinations. Allegiant alone has 120 flights in January leaving/arriving from ATW versus 103 fights offered in 2024--that's a 13% increase in available seats to destinations in Florida, Arizona, South Carolina and elsewhere. Allegiant nonstop seasonal routes from ATW include:

• Seven Florida destinations starting from October to April 2026,
• Service to Gulf Shores, Alabama from October to May 2026,
• Service to Las Vegas from October to May 2026,
• Year-round nonstop service to Orlando International Airport, Florida beginning January 16, 2026.

The airport’s newest carrier, Sun Country airlines begins nonstop seasonal service to Fort Myers (RSW) from January 30, 2026 through April 13, 2026. Flights will depart twice weekly, with service increasing to four times a week starting in late March.

Other carriers at ATW report similar projected increases from January-February. When comparing first quarter ’25 with available seats for first quarter ’26, carriers report the following:

• American Airlines is projecting an increase of 6.5% in available seats
• Delta Airlines is projecting an increase of 20% in available seats
• United Airlines is projecting an increase of 8.6% in available seats

“In all cases, travelers can find savings when flying mid-week,” Weber said. “But the range and number of warm weather flights will give northeast Wisconsin residents choices they’ve never had before when starting their vacations at ATW.”

HOLIDAY TRAVEL TIPS

Officials at the Appleton Airport Air are advising holiday travelers to pack their patience due to the anticipated higher numbers of travelers. Some tips from the experts at Appleton International Airport:

• “The week before Thanksgiving will be the busiest,” said Brittany Gudex, business development manager for the Appleton airport. “If possible, fly in off-peak periods such as mid-week departure and arrival dates,” he said.
• Download the airline app on your smart phones to efficiently communicate with your airline regarding departure and arrival information,
• Use the Appleton Airport’s Express Park service which allows travelers to drive right up to the terminal’s front door, drop their keys off, and proceed right to check in. “The valet option in Express Park is the same daily rate as our long-term parking, but you get to drop your car at the front door of the airport and save time,” Gudex said.
• If you haven’t already done so, TSA PreCheck takes the hassle out of going through airport security. PreCheck passengers have shorter security waits and use dedicated security lines. TSA PreCheck requires a $78 fee and is available at the Appleton airport.

Above all Gudex says, safety is the top priority for travelers at both the airport and on the airlines. For more information on flights leaving the Appleton airport, please visit this link.

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About Appleton International Airport Appleton International Airport connects our community to the world through American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and Allegiant Air. In addition to offering nonstop service to 22 destinations, Appleton Airport connects to 13 major international airport hubs from which travelers can fly to almost anywhere in the world. Using Appleton Airport, travelers can safely and more conveniently get to their destination and home

again, leaving them more time for what really matters. Appleton International Airport is the third largest airport in Wisconsin according to arrivals and departures. Visit atwairport.com to learn more.