Columbia Metropolitan Airport sees steady flow as TSA prepares for nearly 3 million travelers

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Millions of Americans continued to make their way home for the Thanksgiving holiday Tuesday, with today remaining one of the busiest travel days of the week.
At Columbia Metropolitan Airport, travelers said the key is patience and preparation as the holiday rush continues in full swing.
While Monday was officially the busiest Thanksgiving travel day in 15 years, the FAA said Tuesday is still packed with heavy flight volume across the country. TSA is expecting close to 3 million people to pass through checkpoints today alone.
Travelers in Columbia were doing everything they could to get ahead of the crowds.
“Well, I realize that the crush is going to happen in approximately three to four hours. And I’m blessed with having a straight flight as opposed to a hub and spoke,” one traveler said.
TSA is reminding passengers that Real ID is now required for all domestic flights. Many travelers said they double-checked their wallets before heading out.
“Well, you have to have your real ID. I’ve had it for a while now. Real ID, TSA pre-checked, so that helps too,” a passenger said.
With winter storms impacting areas from the Midwest to the Northeast, some passengers were keeping a close eye on their connecting flights.
“It’s always worse when you’re traveling through the holidays, but hopefully and prayerfully that I don’t have those today,” one traveler said.
Despite expectations of heavy crowds, some passengers found the experience smoother than anticipated.
“Surprisingly, I thought it would be crowded today, but no, it’s been a breeze so far,” a passenger said.
With the holiday rush in full swing, travelers said packing a few essentials makes all the difference, especially if delays pop up.
When asked what one thing they packed to make traveling easier, one passenger mentioned bringing a step-down bag that qualified for free checked baggage.
Officials recommend arriving two hours early to avoid missing flights.
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