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Philadelphia International Airport Expecting 92,000 Travelers Day Before Thanksgiving

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --From the roads to the rails to the skies, the rush is on to get out of town for Thanksgiving. Wednesday could be a record-breaker for travel as people head to a number of destinations for Thanksgiving.

Experts say Philadelphia International Airport could see 92,000 travelers on Wednesday alone.

The airport's TSA line has been busy since early this morning, but people are excited to start their journey and see family.

"I'm thankful for being 80 years old and I can still walk and travel and have fun," one woman said.

Just about every flight was on time on Wednesday evening. That's all these travelers want -- to just get home. Some were canceled, like Rebecca Johnson's.

"I got to the counter and the nice gentleman said 'your flight is canceled,'" Johnson, who's headed to Minneapolis to visit family for Thanksgiving, said. "There's been a storm last night. It was snowing. They just canceled. I didn't get a text. I didn't get an email. I got nothing. I left home at 6 a.m."

When traveling home for Thanksgiving, some people have a plan, like Brittany Barnett, who arrived at the airport two hours early.

"I was nervous it was gonna be really crowded but it's really quiet," Barnett said.

People are still giving thanks despite having to wait in long lines at the airport. The three busiest days here are yesterday, today and then Sunday.

Nationally, AAA is anticipating the largest travel day in 15 years, estimating nearly 1.4 million people will travel 50 miles or more away from home between Wednesday and Sunday.

"The economy has been strong, people have that disposable income and, especially over the holidays, they're willing to travel," Jana Tidwell, of AAA Mid-Atlantic, said. "Traffic delays could reach three to four times what we typically see in this region."

Officials urge travelers to arrive two hours before your flight.

"Philadelphia Airport is typically fast which means you can sleep an extra 30 and be OK," one woman said.

At 30th Street Station, the volume was no different.

Rebecca Cavalieri took an Uber to the airport early. She booked her ticket in advance, hedging her bets against the possibility of being stranded without a way to visit her boyfriend in New York.

"I wasn't playing around," she said. "I was like, I need to make sure I get my seat because this train is going to be packed."

Saturday and Sunday of this coming weekend are also expected to see record numbers of travelers.

To check the status of your flight at PHL, click here.

CBS3's Matt Petrillo and Greg Argos contributed to this report.

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