Buffalo Niagara Airport Prepares For Potential Record Holiday Travel

If you were thinking of flying to family next, this weekend or next week, you are not alone.

Channel 4 news reports there may even be "potential for record-breaking travel numbers across the country."

Western New York is ready for the busiest travel days of the year. 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.

What day is expected to be the busiest?

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 on Friday are:

between 3:00-6:00pm for arrivals, and 4:00-6:00pm for departures. An early-morning surge of traffic between 5:30-8:30am 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.

Avoid this big problem,

"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."

Safe travels and hope you see and laugh with your favorite family members.