"Overall, it was pretty smooth...I've always traveled on Thanksgiving and there was practically no one in the airports this year," traveler Marc Siegel said.
"I was really pleased today with how easy it was to travel. We had about a 45 minute delay, really easy traveling today," traveler Blair Streling said.
The souring economy and increased airfares have kept many people at home.
AAA expects a 7 percent decline in air travel compared to last year.
Eydie Boone and her husband traveled from Houston and they turned the trip into an extended vacation.
"We tied in a week vacation to New York City," Eydie said.
Many experts expect similar crowds for the Christmas holidays.
That is not good for baggage handlers who work on tips.
"I've been sitting around all day doing nothing; I almost fell asleep twice, but don't tell anyone," Dayton Lawrence, a baggage handler, said.
