HOUSTON — It’s the mad dash to get out of town for travelers ahead of the long Thanksgiving weekend. Millions of people are hitting the road and air on Wednesday.
It means local highways and airports will be congested.
More than 2.2 million people were screened at TSA checkpoints around the country on Tuesday.
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At Hobby Airport, it is taking travelers an average of about 11 minutes to get through security.
It’s definitely something travelers are considering as they get away for Thanksgiving.
For instance, after more than a year of COVID, shutdowns and travel restrictions the crowds have returned to airports like Hobby ahead of the Thanksgiving weekend.
“We’re vaccinated. We’re ready to go,” Tera Polson said.
TSA said the number of travelers going through airports today is expected to reach near pre-pandemic numbers.
People flying said they’re more than ready to get to their final destinations.
“See family and everything, get together for the big meal,” Tish Norman, who is flying to Denver, said.
Terrenze Walker is headed to Belize with his family.
“Just kind of getting away from all of it and kind of unplugging for a few days,” he said.
Also, Stephanie Weir is flying to Kansas City with her family.
“We’re very excited to be with our family that we haven’t seen since April so we’re excited to see everybody and be all together. It’s a special time or the year,” she said.
However, they first must snake through the hassles of airport travel like long security lines at TSA checkpoints.
“We certainly got here a little bit earlier thinking it was going to be a lot busier. It’s actually not as busy as we thought,” Weir said.
Polson added, “It doesn’t look that bad. We were expecting worse.”
As well as keeping small children entertained.
“It’s a lot,” Weir said who is traveling with her daughter Francesca. “Certainly a lot technology involved and lots of coloring, Play-Doh, stickers, posted notes; anything that will keep her busy.”
While it may be a long day of traveling for some, in the end, they know it will be well worth it.
“We’re just going to roll with the punches. Just prepare and make sure we’re at the place when we need to be and whatever happens, it’s out of our control so we just roll with that,” Walker said.
Sunday will be the busiest air travel day of the year so keep that in mind when you’re heading to the airport.
You’re encouraged to arrive two hours before your flight for domestic flights and three hours before international flights.