Thanksgiving Travelers Get Early Start Tuesday

CHARLOTTE, NC– “I was told Wednesday is the worst traveling day so we’re trying to go out Tuesday night,” said Charlotte resident, Shannon Berry.

Thanksgiving travelers got an early start flying out of Charlotte Douglas before the Wednesday rush. Inside the lines weren’t bad but getting to the airport is already taking some patience.

” There was a bunch of traffic outside and it took about an hour but we’re here now,” said Charlotte resident, Lucas Karger.

Airport officials say they’re beefing up staffing and transportation.

“We have additional shuttle buses prepared to run to help with the peak loads, we have additional traffic officers located on the ticketing level and bag claim level,” said Jack Christine with Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Since last year they’ve added 700 new long term parking spots but they’re expected to fill up fast.

“We anticipate a number of the lots will close as they fill our long term parking is always the lots that fill first,” said Christine.

Many travelers will be hitting the roads instead of the skies and aaa of the carolinas reminds people to get an early start.

“If we’re talking about Wednesday travel you kinda need to hit the road before 6am because anytime Wednesday before Thanksgiving we’re talking about all day it’s going to be congestion,” said AAA of the Carolinas Spokeswoman, Tiffany Wright.

And there’s good news at the pumps motivating many to drive instead of fly.

“Even with the whole pipeline situation we dealt with it’s still not affecting our Thanksgiving travel we are still low we are only a couple cents more than we were last year so we’re going to see the second lowest gas prices in eight years for Thanksgiving travel,” said Wright.