Travelers already leaving South Florida for Thanksgiving
FORT LAUDERDALE - People are already getting out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday.
And AAA is forecasting it will be in record numbers. More 4.5 million Floridians and 79.9 million national will travel 50 miles or more for the holiday period from Tuesday through Monday, Dec. 2.
Oana Jarca and her family are heading from Miami International Airport to Bora Bora in the South Pacific Ocean.
"It's for the holiday, Thanksgiving, spend time with the family," Jarca said. "We're trying to get away from the business of the city. Miami is super busy this time of year.
And so are the airports. Miami International Airport is expecting 1.9 million travelers during the Thanksgiving holiday. Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport anticipates 1.3 million during the same time period.
John Sanchez and Luis Taramona are also heading out for the holiday from Miami.
"Right now we're traveling to San Juan, Puerto Rico," Sanchez said. " We're going to visit our family to spend the Thanksgiving holidays."
They planned their day and time of travel to make their trip less stressful.
"Going later in the day it's going to get heavier because everybody gets out of work," Sanchez said. "So therefore we decided to go on the noon flight, not the late flight.
Clint Henderson, the the managing editor of The Points Guy, said there are some simple things you can do to ensure a smooth trip, like using apps to know in advance what's going on with your flight.
"The simplest way to keep track of your flight is to just Google the airline and your flight number," he said. "And you'll see Google will pop up with showing if your flight's on time or not. It's pretty remarkable. But I use other apps like Flight Aware, Flightradar24. That shows you where your plane is coming from," he said.
Parking can be an issue at MIA and FLL. The Broward County airport has an app that shows real-time parking information. And on the Miami app you can look to see the Transportation Safety Administration waiting times.
Seasoned travelers say having a plan will make holiday travel more festive.
"Making sure you're familiar with whatever airline app you're using, making sure you don't have to stand in lines if you don't have to, using curbside baggage check in - it makes things all seamless," traveler Joy Terry said in Miami.
Travel experts also recommend you check out weather patterns across the country in case it has an impact on your flight and always get to the airport at least two hours before your flight.
AAA flying tips for the holidays
- Check in early online.
- Monitor your flight status using your air carrier's mobile app.
- Arrive 2-3 hours before scheduled departure.
- Pack medications and an extra set of clothes in your carry-on bag, just in case your flight is delayed or cancelled.