GREENSBORO, N.C. — As the omicron variant cancels hundreds of flights across the country, travelers at Piedmont International Airport Friday said they had easy trips.
"It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t bad at all. It wasn’t as busy as we anticipated," said Tim Price, who was coming home to Greensboro after a month away in Buffalo, N.Y. for work.
AAA estimates more than 109 million people will travel 50 miles or more between December 23 and January 2, a 34% increase over 2020. Airlines are expected to see a 184% increase in passengers over 2020. Vaccines are giving some people more confidence.
"We just all masked up last year," said Joy Hausberg, who flew in from New York to visit family. "(We're) still masked up this year. At least this year we're vaccinated and feel a little safer traveling."
The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen nearly 30 million people this holiday season.
"(LaGuardia Airport) was fine. It wasn’t desolate or anything," said Hausberg about her trip. "The roads getting there were great. It was a great day to travel but LaGuardia was fine."
Phaysal Williams-Ross was waiting for her mother to fly in from Waterloo, Iowa at P.T.I. They haven't seen each other in a year and a half because of the pandemic.
"This will be really the first time all of us are getting together, all my daughters and grandkids," said Williams-Ross. "We didn’t go there for Thanksgiving. It’s gonna be a happy occasion this year."
After a tough past two years, many people are looking for a sense of normalcy with their families and the opportunity to truly celebrate the season.
"We are just happy to be back in Greensboro," said Sean Perla, traveling home from Buffalo.