Traveling for the holidays? Your guide of what to be aware of

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC)— As you may or may not know, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is a busy day for holiday travel, and News10NBC has you covered on what to expect.

THROUGH THE AIR

Even in a pandemic, airports, including the Frederick Douglass-Greater Rochester International Airport, have seen surges of travelers before, but just how busy could it be? The Transportation Security Administration expects travel to return to its pre-pandemic mode. In 2019 a record 26 million passengers and crew flew in the 11-day period around Thanksgiving.

News10NBC Reporter Emily Putnam was live at the ROC airport Wednesday morning and reported seeing a crowd filing in through security that she had not seen since 2019.

Keep in mind, there are still COVID protocols in place.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says not to travel if you’re sick, or if you tested positive for COVID-19 and your isolation period isn’t over yet – even if you’re fully vaccinated. People who are unvaccinated who decide to travel should get a COVID-19 test one to three days before travel and three to five days after returning.

You also have to wear a mask on the plane.

A vaccine mandate is in place for TSA workers, but leaders say about 93% of screening employees got the shot, and they don’t expect that to impact staffing and/or your travel abilities.

Speaking of the TSA, remember to show up early enough ahead of your flight so you can make it through screening. And don’t forget your luggage!

Check the latest status on your flight here.

ON THE GROUND

If you thought flying would be packed, the roads are not expected to be any different. The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts a big increase this year in the number of Thanksgiving travelers. What’s big mean? About 48.3 million people.

As News10NBC Reporter Deanna Dewberry outlined in her Consumer Alert, there are some helpful tips to be aware of as you hit the road.

• Check your tire pressure. The right pressure gets the best gas mileage.
• Avoid hitting big cities during rush hour especially on Wednesday, one of the heaviest travel days. The other is Sunday.
• Accelerate slowly.
• Glide to a stop.
• Don’t speed.
• Use your cruise control whenever possible.
• And remember the snacks. That general rule applies to those of us hitting the road as well.

Don’t forget about those bathroom breaks! The Thruway Authority has information about that for you. Click here.