CHICAGO (WLS) — The good news for early risers departing from O’Hare Airport is that even in bad weather, delays and cancellations have been kept to a minimum.
Later, however, could be a different story, which is why aviation officials have been stressing all weekend the importance of getting to the airport early, packing smart, and being ready with ID in TSA lines. to keep things moving.
By the time Monday ends, about 1.7 million people are expected to have passed through O’Hare and Midway airports over the weekend. That’s a 6.6% increase from last year as travel continues to recover post-pandemic.
However, for those who traveled on Saturday night, it was fairly quiet, which was good news for those who prefer a shorter weekend, but easier time getting back to their destinations.
Officials also recommend taking the CTA to airports when possible. Not only will you save yourself from traffic hassles, but you’ll alleviate sidewalk congestion when you arrive.
More than 3,500 US flights were delayed Sunday as a major storm system hampers travel
A severe weather system in various parts of the United States has prompted the three major airports serving New York City to urge passengers to arrive early for flights on what is expected to be one of the days of busiest trip of the year, CNN reported.
As of Sunday afternoon, 3,507 flights to, from or within the United States have been delayed, according to FlightAware, and 86 flights in the US have been cancelled, the website noted.
A fairly large storm system will move out of the Mississippi River Valley Sunday morning to the northeast, bringing widespread showers and gusty winds. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected to affect millions of travelers from the Midwest to the Northeast and Southeast on Sunday.
New York LaGuardia Airport has urged passengers to reserve parking spaces in advance, which operators say are filling up. “We cannot stress this enough: plan ahead and arrive early if traveling during the #Thanksgiving holiday travel period,” said the airport tweeted.
Newark Liberty International Airport echoed LGA in suggesting that passengers should plan ahead and try to get to the airport early. He warned that roads to the airport were already congested on Sunday morning. “The holiday season means high passenger volumes. If you plan to travel through Terminal A or B, take advantage of the FREE EWR VirtuaLine service and secure your spot in the security checkpoint line ahead of time,” the airport said in a statement. Twitter. “Due to increased traveler numbers during the holidays, please allow additional time for travel, check-in, and security.”
John F. Kennedy Airport also said passengers traveling on Sunday should plan ahead and arrive early. jfk tweeted from your verified account, “Budget extra travel time to get to #JFK airport, park in your reserved spot, check in and go through security.”
CNN contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All rights reserved.
