It's getaway day at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, as thousands of travelers are expected to fly into and out of Western New York over the holiday weekend.
And they could be joining record-setting travel numbers across the country.
Friday, December 20 is expected to be the busiest travel day for Western New York, and AAA projects a record-breaking 115.6 million year-end holiday travelers to close out 2019.
Peak times at the airport will be between 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for arrivals, and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for departures. An early-morning surge of traffic between 5:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. was met with virtually no delays or cancellations, but even with a smooth start, experts say travelers should take extra steps to spare themselves from possible headaches.
"The number one mistake people make is getting to the airport without enough time," says Helen Tederous, NFTA Director of Public Affairs. "We cannot emphasize that enough: get to the airport early... It makes people calmer, it gives you a sense of well-being, and you can plan out your next steps."
Keep an eye on your flight departures and arrivals, and keep an eye on WGRZ.com for the latest updates to travel issues throughout Western New York.