South Florida airports expect to reach the pre-pandemic level of transportation for Thanksgiving holiday

Miami International Airport, Florida – 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.

According to experts, around 20 million people will pass through U.S. security 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.

According to Experts at FLL, 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.”

According to AAA, 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.”

The best way to stay safe while traveling is to get vaccinated beforehand, health experts said.

“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 the 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.