Sky Harbor braces for surge of fans ahead of NCAA Women’s Final Four in Phoenix

PHOENIX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is bracing for a surge of basketball fans this week as the city prepares to host the NCAA Women’s Final Four for the first time, with national semifinal games set for Friday and a championship game Sunday at Mortgage Matchup Center in downtown Phoenix.

No. 1 UConn and No. 1 UCLA have already secured Final Four spots after winning their Elite Eight games Sunday. The remaining two spots will be decided Monday night.

Airport officials said they expect heavy traffic in the days surrounding the games and urged travelers to plan ahead.

Plan ahead when renting a car

Airport officials told travelers to reserve cars ahead of time, warning that walk-up rental availability could be slim during the championship weekend.

Fans heading to downtown venues from the airport are urged to ride the PHX Sky Train, which connects all terminals to the Valley Metro light rail station at 44th and Washington streets. From there, tournament fans can get to any of the many events planned around Phoenix.

Those picking up or dropping off passengers can skip terminal traffic by using the 24th Street or 44th Street Sky Train stations, which offer free access to all terminals.

Extra help navigating Sky Harbor

The airport is also deploying volunteer navigators, identifiable by their purple attire, throughout terminals. NCAA volunteers will be on hand to field questions about local events, officials said.

For departing passengers, the airport recommended arriving at least two hours before flights and checking skyharbor.com, where security wait times are posted on the homepage.

The airport is also adding bag check services at the rental car center and east economy parking lot to allow passengers to skip the ticket counters.

What is happening around the Final Four tourney?

Beyond the games, several free fan events start this week.

The NCAA Legacy Project will refurbish courts at the Washington Activity Center at Citrus Way and N. 23rd Ave. on Wednesday, April 1.

Tourney Town, a festival with games, displays and merchandise, starts Thursday at the Phoenix Convention Center.

The Four It All Fest block party outside the Phoenix Convention Center will feature viewing parties, live music and food all weekend.

R&B star Kehlani is headlining a free concert at Hance Park on Saturday. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the concert starts at 8 p.m. Earlier Saturday, a free open practice gives fans a chance to watch teams warm up at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Phoenix Sky Harbor handles approximately 1,300 aircraft and more than 140,000 passengers on an average day.

The semifinal games tip off at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Arizona time on Friday. The national championship follows at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

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