Memorial Day weekend travel is in full swing as travelers take to the skies and the roadways for the unofficial start of summer.
Miami International Airport expects nearly 900,000 passengers this weekend while Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport expects almost 700,000 passengers.
The sound of luggage wheels and airport chatter filled MIA Friday as thousands of travelers take to the skies to kick off their summer travel.
While the number of passengers expected over the weekend sounds staggering, Friday seemed to be a smooth day for many.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
“There’s not a lot of people either. I’ve seen the airport much busier,” said passenger Mario Leon.
“I thought it was going to be horrible but it’s not,” said Alicia Santibanez.
Local
At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport short-term and long-term parking garages are currently full, so the overflow parking lot is available due to the high demand of travelers.
And it’s not just air travel that will see an upswing. AAA said Memorial Day road trips are up 6% over last year with a projection of more than 37 million Americans opting to drive to their destinations. In part thanks to lower gas prices compared to last year.
As people get more comfortable traveling again, it’ll be a major test for airlines that are hoping not to repeat last year’s summer travel mess.
MIA officials told NBC6 that they’re working in partnership with the TSA and the airlines to make sure it’s an all-hands-on-deck approach this weekend and into the summer months.
To check security wait times at MIA before heading to the airport go to Miami-Airport.com.
