holiday travel

Nearly 1.3 million people went through U.S. airports on Sunday, the highest level of air travel in more than nine months

Millions of Americans are traveling ahead of Christmas and New Year’s, despite pleas from public health experts that they stay home to avoid fueling the raging coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 320,000 nationwide.

With the U.S. death toll now over 300,000, people are making the hard decision to celebrate the holidays with just their immediate families. An estimated 84 million people have indicated they may hit the road or the skies – millions fewer than last year, but still too many for comfort.

Travelers across the Chicago area hit the road or headed for the airports Wednesday despite warnings against gathering for the holiday. Sandra Torres reports.

In a CNN interview, Dr. Anthony Fauci told some curious kids that he visited the North Pole himself and administered a coronavirus vaccine to Santa.

The holiday season is in full swing at Macy’s on Chicago’s State Street, and for some people it’s a family tradition to take pictures at the holiday windows. “It’s so different, you know; it’s a fraction of the people that are normally down here especially this time of the year,” said Bryant Whiteford from Orland Park. Whiteford plans to...

Will people heed the call to stay home for Christmas? Or will the December holidays go the way of Thanksgiving, when thousands traveled against the advice of top health officials? Some who are planning to stay home say that giving up the hassle, expense and family drama of holiday travel isn’t really such a bad deal.

Southwest Airlines will again be booking middle seats on flights. All passengers are still required to wear masks aboard the plane.

Millions of people traveled this Thanksgiving weekend. If you were one of them, you should know what to do once you’re home to avoid possibly accelerating the spread of COVID-19 in your community. LX News host breaks down the CDC guidance.

The TSA has screened nearly five million travelers at the nation’s airports, numbers not seen since the pandemic started stateside. Experts from the CDC said the phenomenon was “pouring gasoline on the fire,” as infections and deaths continue to rise.

On the eve of Thanksgiving, roads in the Chicago area were filled with more vehicles than normal, given we’re in the middle of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. AAA reports 95% of Thanksgiving travelers were driving to their destinations this year. Airport foot traffic was expected to be down by nearly 50%. Still, O’Hare had a steady flow…

Health officials are warning against holiday travel and gatherings as they could be super spreader events for the deadly coronavirus. Lisa Chavarria reports.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic and guidance from health officials, crowds of travelers have visited Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport ahead of Thanksgiving. NBC 5’s Christian Farr reports.

Two million people made their way past airport checkpoints on Friday and Saturday, according to the TSA, even as COVID cases rise throughout the United States. For some, spending months cooped up and the pull of seeing family and friends feels stronger than the risk of infection.

Regardless of what your holiday plans are, this will be a Thanksgiving like none other. Here are are few tips to get your through the holidays safely and COVID-19 free.

With the majority of 2020 spent holed up at home, 30 to 50 percent of Americans are expected to travel for this holiday season, according to travel data.

“Let’s be clear,” Dr. Ngozi Ezike said during Illinois’ coronavirus briefing on Nov. 5, “travel will increase your chances of contracting and spreading COVID-19 as well going to a crowded event as well having multiple people in your home for Thanksgiving.”

With the holiday season quickly approaching, experts are suggesting creating a family or community bubble as the safest way to enjoy this year’s holiday celebrations while reducing your risk of COVID-19 and the flu. NBCLX storyteller Clark Fouraker shares a holiday bubble checklist that your holiday group can adopt in the days and weeks before your gatherings to ensure everyone...

The holidays are typically the busiest time of year for travel, but amid the threat of COVID-19, health experts are hoping more people stay closer to home this year. Andrew Noymer, a public health expert and professor at the University of California, Irvine, joined LX News to discuss the health risks of holiday travel and safety tips for visiting relatives...

Planning a trip this summer? The Transportation Security Administration recently released a new set of security rules to help keep you and your fellow travelers safe from the coronavirus. Here’s what you need to know before you head to the airport.