NORFOLK, Va. — Two days before Thanksgiving, the Norfolk international Airport on Tuesday morning was full of travelers, with some who have come a long way.
“We wanted to get a head start on arriving so that we’d be kind of settled in on Thanksgiving Day,” said Heather Rawsen.
Rawson and her daughter are coming from California. The two were traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina where they will be spending the holiday.
“I just like getting together with the family and getting the chance to visit, and we'll hopefully have some nice food together,” said Rawsen.
AAA expects the busiest time for Thanksgiving travel is between now and Sunday.
Traveler Monique Good said for her, making arrangements early is one way to escape painful wait times. She said she was shocked to learn her flight on Tuesday was nearly empty.
“There were no delays and surprisingly it hasn’t been very crowded,” said Good. “They said there was 75 seats available on the flight.”
13News Now spoke with Norfolk International Airport spokesperson, Chris Jones, who says so far everything at the airport is running smoothly.
He said two days before Thanksgiving, the airport travel is a bit slower, but he anticipates traffic to pick up the day before Thanksgiving.
“TSA projections have about 8,500 people will go through the checkpoints tomorrow,” said Jones. “So, if you double that, taking into account inbound arrivals, and you’re looking at 17,000 people coming through, give or take.”
While some travelers experienced delays on Tuesday, Jones said they weren’t enough to derail plans.
“There were only 5 delays showing over the course of the entire day,” said Jones. “So, today looks like it should be smooth sailing. But I’m not sure what tomorrow will bring.”
AAA estimates roughly 80 million people will travel over the Thanksgiving holiday with more than 70 million hitting the roadways.
The good news is, though, AAA said the cost of gas won’t hit your pocket as hard this year. Experts said drivers could find gas prices below $3 a gallon.
“Everybody wants to get to their destinations, but just be patient,” said Good.
Meanwhile, Jones said the best way to keep up with flights is by using your airline's app.
If you’re worried about what you can bring with you click here to learn what’s allowed through TSA.
Experts also said the best time to return home from Thanksgiving is on Saturday, Nov. 30, or Sunday, Dec. 1.