Experts urge planning ahead amid record Thanksgiving rush – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
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MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) – A bustling Miami International Airport Monday morning marked the start of the holiday travel rush as families made their way to reunite for the Thanksgiving weekend.
Amid the excitement for festive gatherings, travelers remain vigilant for potential disruptions.
“The plane was broken. I had to stay in a hotel overnight, me and my wife. Today’s her birthday a matter of fact,” said one traveler. “But we gotta catch this plane.”
The number of people traveling 50 miles or more from home for Thanksgiving is expected to reach 55.4 million this week, a slight increase over last year, according to AAA projections.
“We’re projecting this to be the third highest Thanksgiving forecast that we’ve looked at, and we’ve been looking at holiday travel since 2000,” said AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz.
The majority of travelers, nearly 89%, are opting for road trips, taking advantage of a bit of relief at the pump.
GasBuddy.com reports the national average for a gallon as just under $3.28, marking a significant drop of 39.5 cents from the previous year.
About 4.7 million people are expected to fly during the Thanksgiving travel period, according to AAA. That’s an increase of 6.6% compared to 2022 and the highest number since 2005.
Traffic is anticipated to peak on Wednesday, with close to 50,000 flights scheduled.
Despite efforts to streamline security processes, the TSA is aware of any and all potential delays.
“We will do our best to screen standard passengers in under 30 minutes and passengers enrolled in TSA pre-check in under 10 minutes,” said TSA Federal Security Director Robert Spinden. “There might be occasions where wait times may be longer.”
Regardless of the mode of travel, millions will have to deal with adverse weather conditions in the coming days.
AAA recommends Wednesday morning and Sunday morning as the optimal times for travel.
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