Flying for Thanksgiving? Orlando airport could see record-breaking number of travelers

Orlando International Airport could see record-breaking number of travelers for Thanksgiving

Officials at Orlando International Airport are helping travelers prepare for what is shaping up to be a busy holiday season.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Officials at Orlando International Airport are helping travelers prepare for what is shaping up to be a busy holiday season.

AAA says Orlando is the top destination for Thanksgiving this year and officials says the projected travel numbers will rival record-breaking pre-pandemic levels.

One of the biggest differences between this year and last year is that face masks are no longer required to be worn inside the airport or on airplanes. Last year about 1.6 million travelers went through the Orlando airport during the 12-day holiday period, which was about 2.5-percent less than the record crowds of 2019.

Another major difference is the addition of the completed Terminal C with 15 new gates, which has allowed the airport to grow by as much as 25-percent.

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If you plan on traveling, keep this in mind: typically the Saturday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day.

On Thursday, the airport will release the projected travel numbers for this holiday season along with some travel tips to help improve your journey. The 12-day Thanksgiving travel season officially kicks off on Friday.