MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - The holiday hustle remained in full swing at South Florida airports as families flew out to spend the holidays with loved ones in numbers that officials expect to set records.
Saturday marks the beginning of the busiest travel time of the year, and according to the AAA, maybe of all time.
7News cameras captured large crowds and long lines at Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports.
Officials at both airports advised travelers to pack their patience and arrive earlier than usual.
Fortunately, no major delays have been reported at MIA as of Saturday evening.
How busy is this season expected to be? From now until New Year’s Day, AAA is expecting approximately 115 million Americans to travel to their holiday destinations, shattering previous records.
“I’m going to Colombia to see my family. I’m so excited,” said a woman.
Most will drive, but many others will fly.
“We’re coming here, and then we’re flying to Kansas City, Missouri,” said MIA traveler Zach Young.
Still others, will go by cruise, train or bus. So what does that mean for South Florida?
Traveler Bob Slaughter said he chose to be proactive.
“We left early, about three hours early, and we made sure we had some extra stuff in our carry-ons and so forth,” he said.
While others are heading out to meet family, others, like FLL traveler Betty Rodriguez, are returning from their trips.
“We’re heading home. Home is Wisconsin — Kenosha, Wisconsin,” she said.
Some estimates have the number of Americans taking to the skies over the next week at 7 million, the most since 2003.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.