ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It’s the middle of one of the busiest travel seasons of the year. AAA predicts that more than 115 million people will travel 50 miles or more around Christmas time, the highest year-end travel forecast since 2000.

Andy Moore, director of the Frederick Douglass Rochester International Airport, spoke with News10NBC TODAY about travelers should expect if they’re flying ahead of Christmas. He said that, on Thursday, the airport had 5,000 departing passengers.

Travel levels this year have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with the Thanksgiving travel season being the airport’s busiest in six years. Moore said people should get to the airport early to have enough time to get through the checkpoint.