Tri-State Area airports gear up for pre-pandemic Thanksgiving travel crowds
NEWARK, N.J. -- With Thanksgiving coming up next week, holiday travel season is now underway.
While millions of Americans are getting ready to hit the road or catch a flight, TSA is preparing for big crowds at our nation's airports, CBS2's Elijah Westbrook reported Friday.
The travel rush was already on Friday morning at Newark Liberty International Airport. TSA predicted some of the busiest days for travel will last through early next week.
If you're catching a flight, be prepared to share the skies with more than 2 million other people, according to TSA. AAA expects nearly 55 million people will hit the road or catch a flight - volumes that haven't been seen since 2019.
The Rice family from New Jersey has a lot going on over the next few days.
"We're going down to Atlanta for a basketball tournament," said Summer Rice.
That's before taking off again to visit family in Daytona Beach, Florida on Wednesday, which TSA predicts will be a chaotic day.
"We got here a couple of hours early. We think that we'll be good. We're going to grab our boarding pass and head through security," Rice added.
Jacqueline Winter, also from New Jersey, is heading to Knoxville, Tennessee.
"My flight's not until 11 or so, and I'm here pretty early. But better safe than sorry," said Winter. "Keep yourself organized with all of your paperwork and your boarding passes and everything. It's important. It helps everything run smoothly."
FLIGHT TRACKERS:
The security agency said the three busiest days during the Thanksgiving travel period are Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday and the following Sunday.
"Things are ramping up and we've seen actually a greater recovery this fall as compared to pre-pandemic levels than we did during the summer," said TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
Here are some tips to help streamline the process of getting through airport security:
- Pack smart. Be aware of what you can and cannot travel with.
- Don't bring firearms or other weapons to the checkpoint.
- Make sure you bring an acceptable ID.
TSA officials say following these tips, especially when it comes to firearms, is key.
"TSA was formed right after 9/11. Our mission was to protect the country going forward across the entire transportation system," said Pekoske. "We constantly look at the intelligence, the streaming to give us an indicator as to what groups can do or are planning to do with respect to any incident in the United States in the transportation system."
Of course, don't forget about parking. Be mindful that parking spots at the airport may be limited in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It's always a good idea to reserve a spot before getting to the terminal.
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