LAX urges people to come early as 244K expected to pass through LAX day before Thanksgiving
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles International Airport officials are urging travelers to come early as Wednesday is expected to be the third busiest travel day during the Thanksgiving holiday.
A record 2.52 million travelers are expected to pass through the airport over an 11-day period, which started on Friday and ends on Monday. Of that 2.52 million, about 244,000 people are anticipated to pass through the airport Wednesday.
The record is a 4.25 percent increase over last year's 2.42 million passengers.
Officials said the busiest day at the airport will be the Monday after Thanksgiving, with 251,000 travelers expected. The second busiest day will be Sunday, where nearly 249,000 people will travel.
For anyone looking to miss the crowds, the slowest days are expected to be Thanksgiving and Black Friday, where between 183,000 and 206,000 people will travel.
In addition to all of the travelers over the holiday period, nearly 1.13 million vehicles will be on airport roadways. Sunday will be the busiest day with 123,000 vehicles, followed by Wednesday with 120,000 and Monday with 118,000.
Airport officials are urging travelers to arrive at least two hours before any domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
While 4.2 million people are expected to get away for the long weekend, about 3.6 million of those travelers will be doing so on the road, according to AAA.
The heaviest congestion for Wednesday is expected to be between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on the 5 Freeway between the Pacific Coast Highway and south Orange County, and the highway and Oceanside.
Caltrans District 7 is also warning residents traveling in Los Angeles and Ventura counties near the Woolsey Fire burn area to be careful. As a rain storm is also expected to hit the region sometime Wednesday evening, there may be rocks, debris and mud that end up on the roadways in those areas.
To help motorists stay safe, Caltrans asks motorists to check the Caltrans Quickmap at quickmap.dot.ca.gov or call 511 for the latest traffic updates.
