CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – AAA predicts this year’s Memorial Day weekend will be the second busiest travel weekend ever, both by road and air.
News 2 saw large crowds and long lines already at Charleston International Airport Thursday morning.
This comes as AAA predicts there will be more than 38 million drivers on the road and 3.5 million at airports during the holidays, an increase of 5% compared to last year’s numbers. .
Experts say this busy weekend will set the tone for a very busy summer of travel, but NBC has published a list of ways to make the travel process a little easier.
summer travel tips
Tip 1: Schedule your flight to depart before 10am. According to experts, if you leave after 10am, you are twice as likely to experience delays or cancellations.
Tip 2: Be prepared for flight disruptions. Experts report that delays and cancellations increase by 60% in the summer. Be prepared for this by getting notified of any changes to your flight and having alternative flights in mind just in case.
Tip 3: Start your road trip before 11 a.m. According to AAA, the best time to travel is before 11 a.m., and the worst time is between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. during rush hour traffic.
Tip 4: Avoid renting a car from the airport. Recent data from NBC shows you can save $130 by renting from downtown or another location.
Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, Charleston Airport officials recommend arriving 90 minutes to two hours before your scheduled flight to account for security lines.
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“Just to stand in a regular TSA line, the average wait time is about 12 to 15 minutes, which is great. With TSA PreCheck, it’s about seven minutes, so knowing a few things to do can definitely help you get through quicker,” said Spencer Pryor, deputy executive director and COO at Charleston International Airport.
Pryor also predicts the busiest Memorial Day departures will be Thursday and Friday, and the busiest return flights will be Monday and Tuesday.
