Holiday traffic lighter than expected
Posted at: 11/21/2012 7:43 PM
By: Jill Galus, KOB Eyewitness News 4
Millions of Americans are flying this Thanksgiving and even more are driving.
Wednesday was the busiest travel day of the year, but getting out of Albuquerque was not a problem for travelers.
There was a bit of a rush between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. at the Sunport, but overall it was calm and quiet for the majority of the day.
Favorable weather here and across the country also made for an ideal day to travel, by plane or car.
"We weren't sure how long the lines would be but it turns out there's not anybody here," one traveler, headed to St. Louis with her family, said.
Adding to the list of things to be thankful for, short, quick moving lines at ticket counters and security checkpoints made traveling through the Sunport a breeze on the busiest travel day of the year.
"We drove down here a lot earlier just giving it like two hours at the airport. We're gonna sit around for awhile," another man, headed to Grand Rapids, said.
An estimated 24 million Americans are flying to Thanksgiving celebrations, and about 20,000 are passing through the Sunport to do that.
KOB Eyewitness News 4 spoke to New Mexicans headed to places like New York, Denver and Washington.
About 39 million across the country also fueled up Wednesday.
"It was good to fill up on 50 bucks," one woman, headed to Gallup to visit her mom, said.
The price of regular unleaded at a Love's gas station near downtown Albuquerque was $3.29 a gallon.
"I'm not gonna complain, it's lower than two weeks ago," another woman, headed to the Arizona border, said.
Whether a long drive, or short flight ahead, the excitement of seeing family and friends again is enough to spread some holiday cheer.
A long-awaited hug from a friend or loved one finally home for the holiday makes it all worth it.
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