How To Prepare For Busy Airports And Roads This Thanksgiving

The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the holiday season, according to Triple-A, the American Automobile Association. 

They said nearly 500,000 Oklahomans will be traveling on Wednesday. 9 out of 10 travelers will be hitting the roads. 

Rylie Fletcher with AAA says gas prices are lower than last year, so we can expect busy highways.

“Triple-A does expect to rescue more than 4,000 Oklahomans on the roads Wednesday through Sunday, so with that being said, if you can do prevention now before you travel, it's better than if you are stranded on the roadside because it might be a longer wait," Fletcher said. 

Don't get in a bad situation this week while traveling. Fletcher says to make sure you get your car checked often. She said auto shops will likely check your tires for free.

 She also suggests keeping an emergency kit in your car with items like a flashlight, blankets, batteries, and water. 

For those traveling by air, Stacey Hamm with the Will Rogers World Airport says to arrive at least two hours before your scheduled flight time and expect a 20 to 30-minute wait time in TSA Precheck if you are flying out Wednesday morning.

Two OCU students flying home today said they were glad they could travel home for Thanksgiving despite the prices of airline fares. 

“I think I'm most thankful to go home and see my family at this time because I know a lot of friends who cannot go home because of the prices of flights and everything, so I'm just really grateful for that,” Eva Viciana said. 

“I'm really thankful for my family. Just being away from them and at college just really makes me appreciate all that they've done for me, and I'm really excited to see them,” Lillian Trippe said. 

Hamm says the busiest time for the airport will be between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., so be prepared to have a valid driver's license or ID and or passport. 

She also said to give yourself plenty of time on Sunday, as they are expecting a high volume of travelers to return from the Thanksgiving holiday.