Northeast storm could put damper on Thanksgiving travel plans
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The holiday travel rush is kicking into high gear, but threats of severe Northeast weather could damper many travelers' Thanksgiving plans.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said more than 1.6 million passengers will pass through Chicago's airports this week, with Sunday expected to be the busiest day of the week at both O'Hare and Midway.
As of 9 a.m., despite a rainy start, fewer than 5% of the flights at both O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport have been delayed, averaging less than 15 minutes.
Nationwide, more than 10 million people have passed TSA checkpoints since Thursday, well ahead of 2019's pre-pandemic numbers.
Airlines expect their busiest Thanksgiving ever, but a major storm system moving across the country could be an issue, including a winter blast of rain and sleet that could disrupt air travel in the Northeast late Tuesday night into Wednesday.
With nearly 50,000 scheduled flights expected on Wednesday alone, the FAA is opening up extra airspace usually reserved for the military along the East Coast.
Two sisters traveling to Georgia for Thanksgiving said they got to Midway hours early on Tuesday due to the rain.
They said they're grateful for a smooth travel experience this year.
"It's getting better. The process of what they're doing has improved, and it's really good. We went through, and each person that was available was able to assist us right away. We came early to try and avoid all of the stress, and really no stress," Midway traveler Geraldine Taylor said.
At Midway, the number of travelers is up 1% compared to last year.
Travelers are advised to arrive at the airport early, even if enrolled in TSA PreCheck.