Thanksgiving Travel Kicks Off At Philadelphia International Airport As AAA Expects 55 Million People To Travel This Holiday
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- People are starting to get a jump start on their holiday travel as Thanksgiving quickly approaches. At Philadelphia International Airport, lines stretched as far as a football field on Tuesday morning.
"Yeah, we're excited. Unfortunately, this is a rough time to travel," traveler Jason Carter said. "We call this amateur hour."
While most travelers anticipated some sort of wait, people going to the Midwest were apprehensive about the weather that awaits them.
"I booked this quite a while ago so I'm just riding back, and fingers crossed all will be good," Trevor Stacy, who is heading to Indiana, said. "Hopefully, just rain. Hopefully, no snow."
Luckily, lines began to move swiftly throughout the morning, with hardly any delays or cancellations.
Cancellations were mainly in areas impacted by storms across the western United States.
At Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, rail passengers' patience was tested ever so slightly.
"It sucks, but you have to do it, right? I wish I could go home earlier just to avoid all the crowds but unfortunately, we have class," said Alex, a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania.
Whether by car, train or plane those travelers looking to take the gamble out of last-minute travel now aim to get where they're going the day before the big rush.
On the roads, crystal clear blue skies meant smooth sailing Tuesday.
Other than the typical jam-up spots in the Philadelphia area, no major snags were reported on highways.
Traveling is expected to be at its worse on Wednesday. AAA says trips on Wednesday will take as much as four times longer than normal.
This year, Philadelphia-area holiday travel is expected to reach its highest volume since 2005.
AAA says 55 million people will travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving weekend.
CBS3's Dan Koob and Joe Holden contributed to this report.