Holiday air travel: Experts say come prepared and early for flights in the coming week

ORLANDO, Fla. - There were nearly 3,000 flight cancellations Monday nationwide as we brace for the busy holiday weekend. 

Experts say there are a few things you can do to help ensure smooth travels. 

"Get here early," advised Kelly Fidler, a Nebraskan flying through Orlando.  

More than 1.7 million people expected to pass through the Orlando International Airport over the next 10 days. It’s likely a lot of those folks will encounter some hiccups. 

"We’re trying to get back into a situation where we have enough pilots to meet the current demand," said Dr. William Rankin, a Florida Institute of Technology Professor in Airport Management. 

Experts say some airlines are experiencing pilot shortages. Partly because during the pandemic, not as many people could be trained. 

Rankin says companies are also struggling to bring other positions – like flight attendants and baggage handlers – to pre-COVID levels.  

"They downsized," Rankin said. "These people who were laid off, they were able to secure other jobs."  

So what does that mean for you - the person who’s about to take off on a 4th of July holiday?  

According to FlightAware spokeswoman and former pilot Kathleen Bangs, consider getting to the airport two and a half to three hours early – even for a domestic flight. 

Even before that, Bangs says to download FlightAware to track your flight and your airline’s app. 

"If there’s a major delay or cancellation - you want to be able to rebook quickly. Doesn’t mean you can’t feel free to get in line at the gate or the ticket counter or get on the phone but while you’re doing that you might find that while you’re on the app - you can do it yourself in seconds. Time is of the essence because if there’s any open seats, they’ll be getting booked," Bangs said. 

Bangs says that’s been one of the biggest issues – getting bumped and needing another flight so you want to be proactive.