Millions of Thanksgiving travelers will head out of town Wednesday for what’s expected to be the busiest travel day of the year, coming at a time of heightened security around the world.
O’Hare International Airport had crowds of people by 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, and security lines continued to swell in the morning hours to follow. By 6 a.m., the average wait time to get through the security checkpoints was about 50 minutes.
The wait time at Midway Airport is reported to be much better, with lines at security checkpoints only taking about 10 minutes to get through, according to the Department of Aviation.
Security checks are more intense as the Transportation Security Administration remains on heightened alert in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, but that's not keeping people from traveling for the holidays – in fact, just the opposite.
Travel experts predict more people are traveling this Thanksgiving than usual. American Automobile Association reports 47 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this weekend, the highest numbers in eight years.
Passengers are advised to allow for extra time and to bring a second piece of identification to facilitate the security checks.
More people are also taking road trips for the holiday weekend, an increase fueled in part by cheaper gas prices.
