MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Travelers are making their way to and from South Florida airports to visit loved ones ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Although the weekend and Monday were plagued by flight delays, it seemed to be business as usual on Tuesday.
Minimal flight delays were reported at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
“It’s going to be busy, but it’s OK,” said a traveler.
“Everybody leaving today so I thought I’d get here early,” said traveler Edward Johnson.
“We tried to book our flight as early as possible, so we’re just getting under the wire,” said traveler Christine Fisher.
Reports have indicated that roughly 20 million people will pass through U.S. security at airports this Thanksgiving break, which is a slight decrease from 2019.
“We’re going to Dallas, Texas,” said a traveler.
“I’m going to New York,” said one child.
Experts at FLL said just over 600,000 will pass through the airport over the next seven days.
“Pack your patience,” said Miami International Airport spokesperson Jack Varela. “Come to the airport with a lot of patience.”
AAA reports FLL will be one of the most popular airports for Thanksgiving travel.
“It’s always great here. The weather is always perfect for Thanksgiving week,” said Visit Fort Lauderdale President and CEO Stacy Ritter. “There will be no snow. I can promise you that. More people are getting vaccinated, positivity rate continues to go down.”
Health experts said the best way to stay safe while traveling is to get vaccinated beforehand.
“When you are in a situation where you are traveling, for example, and you are in an indoor congregate setting, and you don’t know the vaccination status of people, you need to wear a mask,” said National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci. “In the family setting, particularly among vaccinated people, enjoy the holiday.”
Approximately four million people will be driving to their Thanksgiving celebrations.
Mark Jenkins with AAA also advised travelers of the busiest day for travel on the road.
“The busiest days on the road is always Wednesday before Thanksgiving, especially in the late afternoon and early evening,” said Jenkins. “Some of the better times to travel would be Tuesday, before the holiday, and even on Thanksgiving Day when there’s less congestion out there on the roadway, as most people are already at their destination.”
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