ROANOKE, Va. – If you’re planning to travel this holiday season, here’s what you need to know before you fly out or hit the road.
Alexa Briehl, public information officer for Roanoke Regional Airport, advises travelers to “expect the unexpected.”
“The holidays, the winter, we’ve had a little bit of winter weather, although I’ve heard it’s going to be warm next week. You’re going to want to give yourself plenty of time. That’s my number one piece of advice.”
Alexa Briehl, public information officer for Roanoke Regional Airport
The holiday travel rush is here and it’s bigger than ever. Airlines are reporting passenger counts up to 10% above normal levels.
Julia Hurley, a passenger, shared her travel tip:
“I would say make sure that you’re checking the traffic on Interstate 81. Google Maps is super handy because you can tell if there’s going to be delays and also just building extra time to plan for that just in case you run into delays.”
Julia Hurley
Virginia Tech student Kit Baxter recommends packing early.
“Make sure you have everything so when you’re up in the morning, you’re not rushing around to pack, you can relax.”
Kit Baxter, Virginia Tech student
According to AAA, nearly 200,000 people will take buses, trains or cruise ships this holiday season. That’s up 45% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.