CHICAGO (CBS) — Airports and highways are anticipated to be crowded this weekend as individuals return home from their holiday trips.
As the year draws to a close, statistics reveal this has been the most extensive year for air travel to date.
Within a 14-day travel span commencing on Dec. 19 and concluding on Jan. 2, O’Hare is predicted to accommodate slightly over 3 million travelers, representing an increase of nearly 8% from the previous year.
At Midway, the most congested travel day is anticipated to be Sunday, with over 50,000 passengers expected to navigate through the airport—exceeding 600k total travelers in this two-week timeframe.
Per AAA, the number of drivers surpasses the 2019 benchmark, with approximately 120 million individuals expected to journey 50 miles or beyond.
Travelers heading to the airport are encouraged to allocate extra time for security checks and to reach their gates.
The Transportation Security Administration states that all of its top 10 busiest days for screening passengers occurred this year.