Travelers in Philadelphia area try to avoid holiday rush on 2nd busiest travel day

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Travelers had their bags packed, gifts wrapped and flaunted festive fashion at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia on Saturday.

AAA forecasted more than 115 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home this holiday, which is up 2.2% from last year.

The Murphy family flew to Philadelphia to take a train home to Washington D.C.

"Anytime I'm traveling over the holidays, I feel like Amtrak is the way to go," said Elizabeth Murphy.

"There were a lot of people outside near the Christmas Village, but in here in the train station, it has not been crowded," said Rob Murphy. "So, I'm going to enjoy being on the train and not being on I-95."

AAA expected Saturday to be one of the most congested days on the road.

"It's been a long day," said Byron Collins from Germantown. "I started off in Atlanta going through the airport which was jam-packed, but I made it out luckily. I've come here and it's been great so far, except there's a lot of traffic."

Some drivers are even waiting until Christmas Eve to hit the road.

"Once I get on the road, hopefully, it's a straight shot," said Timothy McDonald from Durham, North Carolina. "I'm pretty good in traffic."

As for the Philadelphia International Airport, there were about 100 delays and at least seven cancellations, but fliers were surprised by the amount of passengers.

"I've seen crowded, but this is nothing so far," said Beata Bak from Hamilton, New Jersey.

"We're here faster than we usually are. There was really nobody down there for check-in," said Gabriel Pena-Bak from Hamilton, New Jersey.

"Everyone seems friendly and organized, so it's much better than I thought," said Andrea D'Asaro who lives in Seattle, Washington.

As travelers wait to reach their final destination, they have several reasons to smile through the miles.

"It will always be nice to see our family and friends and definitely presents," said Maeve Murphy from Washington D.C.

"Getting to spend some time with my family," said McDonald. "They're all the way in North Carolina, so getting a chance to see them because I don't see them on a regular."

"We need a break," said Javier Pena from Hamilton, New Jersey. "We're always working. They're always at school. Stress-free living. Maybe we'll get the chance to relax."

AAA expects Thursday to be another busy travel day on the roads and recommends drivers leave before noon.