Brace yourself for March break crowds if you're flying to or from Kelowna airport

Almost double the amount of passengers as usual will be squeezing in and out of Kelowna International Airport during spring break.

There will be no school for two weeks -- March 18 to April 2 -- prompting families to vacation like crazy.

And the traffic goes both ways.

People from the Okanagan will be heading out to visit friends and family or seek the sun in the destinations you can fly to non-stop from Kelowna -- Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Los Cabos, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

And people from elsewhere will be flooding into the Okanagan also to visit friends and family or hit the slopes for some spring skiing.

The March break crush will actually start at the airport today, as people get a jump on travel.

A news release issued by the airport stated more than 125,000 passengers are expected to travel through YLW over the two-week period.

That works out to about 8,900 people a day, which is almost twice as much as the year-round daily average of 5,000 passengers.

The busiest days over the spring break are expected to be Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays as some passengers catch the non-stops to sun destinations and other travellers board planes bound for YLW's dozen domestic destinations.

In all, about 70 flights will be coming and going daily at Kelowna airport.

Spring break is only outpaced by Christmas as the busiest time of the year at the airport.

Peak times over the festive season was about 9,000 passengers each day.

The doubling up means travellers have to have a strategy to stay sane and get on the plane.

Expect longer than normal wait times at the airport.

As such you should arrive at the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight to allow enough time to check-in, drop off any checked luggage and get through security.

Or, avoid the airport check-in all together and check-in online and print off your boarding pass or download it onto your phone.

You can also save time by not checking in any bags and going carry-on only with a small suitcase that can fit into the overhead bin on the airplane and a backpack or purse that can be slid underneath the seat in front of you.

You can also pay any fees for checked luggage and validate passport information online to help speed things up when you get to the airport.

In an effort to keep everything running smoothly at security screening, know what you can and can't get through and be ready to pull out what you need to at the right time and place.

For instance, laptop and other electronics out and in a separate screening bin, liquids and gels have to each be 100ml or less and all in a separate plastic bag to also go in a screening bin along with your belt, anything that's in your pockets and your coat or jacket.

Long-term parking at YLW is expected to be jam-packed for March break, so consider having someone drive you to the airport and drop you off, arrive by taxi, ride hailing, a shuttle or public bus.

If you're picking anyone up at the airport, don't try to get parked right outside the terminal building.

Hang out in the free parking in the cell phone waiting area beside Airport Plaza until the call comes from who you are picking up as they step out of the terminal.

More info at www.ylw.kelowna.ca/traveltips.