Business is taking off at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport this holiday season.

The airport is projected to see about a six-percent increase in travelers compared to numbers calculated from the 2023 holiday season.

According to airport officials, the entire holiday travel season, which includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, stretches from Nov. 22 through Jan. 5.

For Thanksgiving travel, more than 900,000 passengers are expected to visit Metro Airport from the beginning of the season through Dec. 1.

The start of the Christmas season through New Year’s travel is from Dec. 18 until Jan. 5. During that time, about 1.7 million people will have visited Metro Airport.

From the beginning until the end of holiday travel, airport officials expect to see more than 4 million passengers go through DTW.

“We continue to see growth in passenger traffic during the holidays, and we’re determined to wow our customers as we enter the busy travel season,” said Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Chad Newton. “From new flights and shopping options to a Multi-Sensory Room, our entire team at DTW has been working hard to make our award-winning customer experience even better.”

DTW partnered with Delta Air Lines and recently unveiled the Multi-Sensory Room.

It is designed to provide a calm, supportive and safe environment for individuals with sensory sensitivities or cognitive disabilities, and their families.

Travelers will have more options for holiday shopping with the recent additions of the Small Business Operators Arriving Ready program. It was created to provide business owners the opportunity to operate their specialty retail concept in the Warren Cleage Evans Terminal.

New flights to popular destinations are also coming to DTW just in time for the holidays.

Here are a few tips to help prepare for a trip to DTW during the holidays:

• Arrive early.

During the holidays, the airport has a higher percentage of infrequent travelers who may need extra time.

• Use the DTW Destination Pass.

In late 2023, DTW installed self-service kiosks allowing non-ticketed guests to apply for a pass and, if approved, enjoy same-day access to the terminals to greet family and friends arriving at their gate.

• Park properly.

Loading and unloading at the terminal curb fronts will be strictly enforced. Airport police will be doing their best to move motorists along to prevent traffic backups.

• Don’t wrap gifts before traveling. Packages that are wrapped may need to be opened by TSA, causing disappointment and delays at the screening checkpoints.

• Arrange for assistance in advance.

The Airport Authority and its partners are committed to providing a welcoming and convenient travel experience for all passengers. Travelers who may require additional assistance should advise their airline or TSA ahead of time.

For more information, call TSA Cares at 855-787-2227.