Holiday travel surges despite growth in COVID-19 cases

The TSA reported screening more than 2 million passengers for the third straight day Sunday.

News 12 Staff

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Dec 20, 2021, 12:45 PM

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Updated 1,101 days ago

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Despite the rise in new COVID-19 cases, travelers do not appear to be scaling back their holiday plans.

The TSA reported screening more than 2 million passengers for the third straight day Sunday.

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Those numbers are nearly double what they were at the same time last year but they do fall short of pre-pandemic figures.

AAA expects nearly 110 million people will travel for year-end holidays which is almost 34% increase from 2020. The agency says the busiest travel days will be between this Thursday – Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, which is a Sunday.

Over the weekend, Dr. Anthony Fauci said fully vaccinated people should feel comfortable traveling. But he also advised against any holiday gatherings with people whose vaccination status is unknown.

To make your air travel go a little smoother this holiday season, the TSA recommends these tips:

Air travelers should sign up for TSA precheck. The expedited screening program that doesn't require members to remove their shoes, belts, liquids, laptops or light jackets.

Avoid airport rush hours, typically 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours for international flights.

Don't pack anything that will slow you down.

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