More than 200,000 people went through Sky Harbor the day after Super Bowl

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Last week’s Super Bowl and WM Phoenix Open was a busy time for the Valley, especially for airport travel. As many people returned home, Sky Harbor officials said the airport had its busiest travel day in history on Feb. 13, as more than 200,000 travelers came through the day after the big events.

“Super Bowl LVII set records across the City of Phoenix, which could not be more evident than at our airport,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “These numbers speak to the appeal of Phoenix and Arizona as a destination for high caliber events. Our airport is our front door, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work that went in to preparing for these record-breaking numbers.”

This was the fourth time Sky Harbor welcomed visitors to the area for the big game. The airport worked with multiple airlines, Transportation Security Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, law enforcement, and the Super Bowl Host Committee to prepare for the influx of visitors for Super Bowl LVII and the WM Phoenix Open. Sky Harbor reported the following on Feb. 13:

1,691 takeoffs and landings – compared to 1,200 on an average day
More than 22 minutes of wait time at TSA checkpoints
90,244 passengers screened, including charter and private aircraft operations. Of this, TSA screened 83,914 passengers through their checkpoints, making PHX the busiest airport in the nation.
47,206 total checked bags, including terminal and charter operations
More than 9,100 rental car returns and more than 5,600 rental car pick-ups
Nearly 50,000 people rode the PHX Sky Train®
1,367 total taxi operations (pickups and drop-offs)
23,657 total rideshare operations (pickups and drop-offs)
313 business/corporate flight operations (arrivals and departures)

“We received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from travelers about their experience,” said Director of Aviation Services Chad Makovsky. “As America’s Friendliest Airport®, we take great pride in ensuring our passengers have a warm, welcoming, and positive experience. We’re constantly working to enhance our facilities to meet the evolving needs of our customers when traveling through our Airport.”