SFO Rated 3rd-Worst Domestic Airport for Thanksgiving-Week Travel

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SAN FRANCISCO INT'L AIRPORT (KPIX) -- The holiday travel season has officially begun and San Francisco International Airport said Friday was the busiest travel day of the season.

"It's a little stressful," said Aria Miller, a San Francisco resident. "I think traveling at any time causes amounts of stress but, especially, for the holidays, I totally get it."

(CBS)

More than 1.2 million travelers will pass through SFO between Friday and Sunday, Dec. 1.

Adding to rising anxiety for travelers, SmarterTravel.com named SFO the third-worst Thanksgiving travel airport this year, after Chicago O'Hare and Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International airports. SFO had 870 disrupted flights last year.

"I'm a little surprised," said Dave Spampanato of Marin. "I think the fog is the main reason and then they've been doing a lot of work on the airport."

To help ease the stress, Smarter Travel advises travelers consider other airports in the region, including Oakland International and Mineta San Jose.

SFO said it could see 171,000 travelers arriving and departing on Friday. Friday was also the final day of the massive Dreamforce conference in downtown San Francisco.

The second busiest day for travel is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The best times to travel are in the morning after 6 a.m.