CAE Airport has more travelers this year than last

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– The rainy weather is not slowing any holiday traveler down. Many were at the CAE Airport anxiously waiting to get to their destination to spend the holidays with their loved ones.

“So far on the road, we didn’t have any traffic on the way down here so it wasn’t too bad,” Megan Dyer said, a USC student traveling with her family. Dyer is making a special delivery. Her family is going up to Huntsville Alabama so they can celebrate Christmas with her brother, who will be deploying to Iraq for nine months in January.

“It’s going to be my grandparents, my parents, my two brothers,  my aunt and uncle, their kids, so it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Dyer said.

Holiday travel volume is expected to hit record levels this year. AAA estimates that more than 112 million people are going somewhere.  More than 6.7 million people flying, 3.7 million taking trains, buses, and cruise ships, and more than 102 million people traveling by car.

CAE Airport says they have seen a 10% traffic increase from last year. CAE Spokesperson Lynne Douglas says if you’re stuck in a layover here, there’s plenty to do and see at the airport to get you in the holiday spirit before you make your final destination.

“Beautiful Christmas decorations to just sit and enjoy, and those wonderful rocking chairs that we absolutely love here. So just enjoy, take a break, relax, and listen to Christmas music that plays throughout the terminal, and we’re here to help and assist however we can,” Lynne Douglas said, CAE Airport spokesperson.

With the increase in travelers, TSA suggests you arrive at least an hour and a half before your flight. Always make sure to check your flight status about 3 or 4 hours before you head out to the airport to make sure your planes are arriving on time.

“With the weather, you just never know. The delays aren’t usually that long but with the holidays too and this time of year you don’t know what to expect so you do have to look out for when the planes are leaving,” Ginny Woodle said, another traveler.