US airports busy with holiday traffic despite decline from 2019 levels

Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published: Updated:
Masked travelers at an airport. Credit: WINK News

Airports are busy now, as travelers are flying for the holidays, but with safety precautions ramped up. The need for hand sanitizer, for instance, has led to relaxed regulations on the amount of fluids passengers can bring aboard a plane: Instead of only being able to take on small bottles, you can now bring a larger 12 oz. bottle.

The American Automobile Association says more families tend to use these last two weeks of the year for longer vacations, but that may not be the case in 2020. The travel agency projects 3 million Floridians will travel by airline, a 4.5 million passenger decline from the end of 2019.

Still, the airports and highways are expected to be busier than normal, as many are seemingly willing to take their chances catching or spreading the virus despite hygienic safeguards in order to reconnect with loved ones.

“It was definitely a sense of ‘are things open?'” said traveler Alexa Hash. “And then a sense of ‘has it calmed down enough?’ Essentially it’s not going to be completely over, because it is a pandemic, but you definitely can’t stay away for too long. I know it sucks, but… I honestly don’t know, I really want to go home. I want to see them, to be honest.”

Doctors and medical experts continue to stress wearing your mask and social distancing, if you feel you must travel.

Copyright ©2025 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.