Bradley Airport to offer concierge service as summer travel wave hits

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — Bradley International Airport and Travelers Aid International are launching a new concierge service for passengers just ahead of Fourth of July travel.

Bradley International Airport is the first Traveler’s Aid airport to launch this new concierge service, according to an airport spokesman. Travelers Aid traces its history back to 1859 and has been helping travelers at Bradley since 2018 with a volunteer-staffed information center on the baggage claim level of the airport.

There, Travelers Aid has helped people navigate flight delays, lost luggage and arrange for ground transportation. The Travelers Aid desks are also available at JFK International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Reagan Washington National Airport, Philadelphia International Airport/30th Street Station and Washington Union Station.

Concierge service goes further.

Concierge team member will meet and greet passengers upon their arrival at the airport. Services may include help with checking in at the airline ticket counter, navigating the Transportation Security Authority checkpoint via priority access, delivering food to the passenger’s gate, collecting checked bags and assisting with moving to and from a car to airport.

It’s a service marketed to older adults who may be traveling alone and need assistance, families with children, first-time fliers, travelers with special needs and passengers who are looking for an elevated or personalized travel experience, according to a news release.

“This new concierge program at Bradley International Airport is offering travelers another layer of convenience,” said Kevin A. Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which runs Bradley. “The program is designed to make traveling through the airport truly easy, by offering personalized assistance and removing some of the unknowns that passengers may have about flying.”

The cost of the concierge service starts at $79.99 and advanced reservations are required. To make a reservation, visit www.bradleyairport.com/concierge. The service started Monday.

It debuts at a busy time for Bradley and for air travel in general.

AAA projects 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day holiday, with 5.74 million planning to fly.

In the summer of 2023, Bradley welcomed approximately 1.6 million passengers traveling through the airport during June, July and August, the Connecticut Airport Authority wrote in a news release last month.

For the summer of 2024, based on national predictions, the number of travelers is expected to be as large or greater.