Thanksgiving travel rush is on across Delaware Valley
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- "AAA is anticipating the busiest Thanksgiving travel holiday since 2005. Breaking that down to air travel, locally here over 62,000 Philadelphia area residents will travel to their Thanksgiving destination by air. That's a 5% jump over last year," says Jana Tidwell with AAA.
The crazy crowds from the wee morning hours fizzled out by this afternoon, making way for an easy trip through the security checkpoint in Philadelphia International Airport.
"So far it's been pretty smooth. We just got tickets downstairs and it doesn't look like the line is terribly long, so it looks like it will be smooth sailing," said Arnav Jagasia of Villanova.
TSA had lines moving throughout security checkpoints, as families prepared to set off to see their loved ones.
Nancy Hagan left for Philadelphia early this morning in Orlando.
"It can take 10 minutes or 2 hours to get through security, so I usually fly the first flight out to avoid all that," she said.
Billy Flanigan also flew in from Orlando.
"This is my 22nd year doing the parade in Philadelphia! 100th anniversary, this is a big year for us! So excited to be here."
He says this year's commute to Philadelphia was almost scary-good.
"I was so surprised, it was a ghost town in the Orlando International Airport I thought something might have been wrong because it was so easy to get through," said Flanigan.
Despite positive reviews thus far, the rush isn't exactly over yet.
"Today is busy, but it's only the third busiest day of the Thanksgiving travel week. So today, we expect over 92,000 people to come in and through in and out of the airport. On the weekend it's going to be even busier. Over 96,000 people on Saturday and almost 100,000 on Sunday," said Heather Redfern a Philadelphia International Airport spokesperson.
