College basketball championship caps off heavy month of travel at Sky Harbor

PHOENIX – Spring break and Spring Training are starting to wind down in Arizona but for college basketball fans, it’s just beginning to heat up.

The NCAA^® Phoenix Final Four^® events are taking place March 31-April 3 in the Valley of the Sun, and fans will be filing in from both coasts of the nation to root for the University of South Carolina, University of Oregon, Gonzaga University and University of North Carolina. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will be busy as about 70,000 visitors are expected to visit the area for the games and events.

Whether you’re flying into Phoenix for the first time ever or Arizona is a familiar place, America’s Friendliest Airport^® has some tips to make your trip to and from the NCAA Final Four® easier.

Helpful Travel Tips when flying into Phoenix:

• Before flying to Phoenix, reserve your rental car in advance as vehicles may be limited for walk-up customers.
• The PHX Sky Train^® connects the three terminals to the 44th Street PHX Sky Train^® Station. That’s where you can catch Valley Metro Rail and connect to downtown Phoenix, site of many Final Four fan activities.
• Travelers staying in the Valley with friends or family can save time and avoid traffic by getting picked up at the 44th Street PHX Sky Train^® Station. The station offers a free cell-phone waiting lot and it offers a handy alternative to avoid driving into the airport. Find out more: skyharbor.com/localsknowWhereToGo

Travel Tips for passengers departing on April 4 (the day after the game):

• Remember 3-2-1. 3 hours before departure, check in at the ticket counter; 2 hours before departure, get in line at the TSA Security Checkpoint; and 1 hour before departure, be at your gate. Phoenix Sky Harbor is going to be busy. Give yourself extra time.

• If you have an NCAA Final Four^® program, please place it in your carry-on bag. For questions about carry-on and checked items, visit TSA.gov.
• Check your flight status with your airline before coming to the Airport.
• Check your bags before you get to the terminal with Early Bag Check if you’re flying American, Southwest or United airlines. Use Early Bag Check at the 44th Street PHX Sky Train^® Station, East Economy Parking, or before you get on the shuttle at the Rental Car Center. The service is free though airline bag fees apply.
• Review current security wait times at skyharbor.com before you arrive, and view them on our Flight Information Displays in the terminals and at the PHX Sky Train^® stations.

Visit skyharbor.com/NCAAFinalFour for additional travel tips. Phoenix Sky Harbor also offers many delicious dining options, one of the country’s largest airport museum programs, and a variety of new retail shops in Terminal 4. Stop by one of our retail shops to pick up your NCAA Phoenix Final Four merchandise.

– 30 –

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, America’s Friendliest Airport®, has an annual economic impact of nearly $29 billion. Every day approximately 1,200 aircraft and more than 120,000 passengers arrive and depart at Sky Harbor. PHX Sky Harbor is funded with Airport revenue. No local tax dollars are used to support the Airport.