MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Large crowds flocked to South Florida airport as Thanksgiving weekend got underway, but passengers traveling on Saturday said checking in has been smooth sailing for them.
Saturday was widely expected to be one of the busiest travel days of the year, but those who came to Miami International Airport to board their flights were surprised to find the holiday hustle to be more subdued than in previous years.
“It’s OK. It’s not as crowded here as I thought it was going to be,” said Patricia.
“It’s pretty slow today,” observed another traveler.
“A normal day,” said another traveler.
Traveler Jefteochatea said that doesn’t mean the terminals were empty.
“It’s been OK so far, lots of people in the airport, but the logistics have been working properly for now. Just a lot of congestion and traffic,” he said.
Nevertheless, experts predicted this year to be one of the busiest for Thanksgiving travel in decades after two years marked by COVID-19 restrictions.
Officials at MIA said they expect to see roughly 150,000 passengers daily through the Thanksgiving holiday, with Saturday and Sunday expected to be the busiest.
MIA officials took to Twitter on Friday, saying the parking garages were filling up fast.
But travelers who spoke with 7News said things are running smoothly this Thanksgiving weekend.
“Well, we had a good experience here today,” said Jackie.
It was a similar situation north of the county line at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Traveler Sean Foley said the contrast between what he encountered earlier this week and on Saturday is like night and day.
“It was crazy when we got into Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday afternoon. The airport was really super busy, and coming back today on Saturday, it’s great. It’s like there’s nobody here,” he said.
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