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Millions expected to hit the roads and airports for Thanksgiving holiday

LOWER SWATARA TOWNSHIP, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — The Thanksgiving holiday is here, making for crowded airports and extra busy roadways. Experts with AAA in D...
Thanksgiving Travel

LOWER SWATARA TOWNSHIP, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. -- The Thanksgiving holiday is here, making for crowded airports and extra busy roadways.

Experts with AAA in Dauphin County say an estimated 54 million people are expected to travel this holiday weekend, that’s the most since 2005.

A spokesperson with Harrisburg International Airport in Lower Swatara Township, ays they are expecting close to 24 thousand passengers through Monday, nearly four percent more than 2017.

 “A lot of people over the years have left to go somewhere else to work after college then they come home for the holidays," said Scott Miller, spokesperson at HIA.

Many holiday travelers choosing HIA for its convenience.

“I’ve never had an issue in Harrisburg so hopefully there’s no an issue, at State College it’s usually a little bit more complicated," said Camila Balvidso, traveler.

However, that isn’t always the case.

“I definitely saw a lot of people getting off planes sprinting to their next one," said Rhys Grove, traveler.

Which is why Scott Miller with HIA says if you want fly stress-free, make sure you check in with your airline twenty four hours before departure for potential changes  and make sure you know what you are allowed to bring through TSA.

“In your checked bag, spread things out, don’t clump all of your shoes in one spot or if you’re taking peanut butter or apple butter things like that that are dense, spread them out in the bag," said Miller.

“If they see a big huddle mess in the middle, they can’t see through it, that’s going to flag your bag for further screening and it’s going to delay the process," he added.

If you plan on driving, make sure you have some patience on the road.

Experts with AAA say you may want to re-think travel plans and wait until Thanksgiving morning that way you skip holiday traffic jams at rush hour.

"As people are leaving work the roads are going to start to get jammed up so if you typically take some interstates home, you might want to try a different route ," said Doni Spiegel, AAA.

“The big thing people need to remember is be patient," said Miller. "This is Thanksgivng, let’s be thankful for the opportunity to travel," added Miller.

For the latest traffic updates, you can visit: 511pa.com

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