Are you excited to book a flight for your next out-of-town trip? Or are you bracing yourself for chaos and anguish? Based on upcoming changes in air travel this year, it’s okay to feel both.

New planes, new routes, new partnerships and new money-making strategies are the name of the game for the airline industry in 2025. There will also be new government regulations and requirements (e.g. will this be the year we’re required to get a Real ID?).. And here at our local airport, there will be lots of construction at SMF.

We wanted to make sense of how all the headlines about Boeing planes, frequent flyer programs, Southwest Airlines moving to assigned seating will affect our flight bookings and air travel. So we invited Stephen Clark, deputy director of Sacramento International Airport, to sit down and advise us what to think about when booking our next flight, and what to expect when we arrive at the airport and get on the plane.

We want this to be a truly interactive conversation, so please bring your questions — no topic is too small or too dumb to ask about.

Ruhstaller BSMT has a variety of beers on tap, as well as kombucha, wine and sparkling water. Light snacks will be available, but please feel free to BYO food.

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