RI residents head to T.F. Green during ‘busiest’ holiday travel day of the year

WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — While many travelers have been navigating longer security lines and higher flight prices, some are finding ways to make their journey a little smoother.

Record breaking numbers of passengers are expected to take the skies this Christmas.

AAA reported over 7.85 million people will be flying nationwide during the holidays.

Travelers are dealing with higher prices this year, which is up 4% for domestic flights and 13% for international.

“Why I’m here at this hour flying is that mostly because of the price of the flights. This was a cheaper flight to get out to. I’m spending an extra day in Fort Lauderdale,” said Johnston resident, Todd Ellison.

“I’m flying out to Fort Lauderdale and boarding a cruise for the holiday. But yeah, this is heavier than I’ve ever really seen at T.F. Green,” he said.

For others, early planning was the key to keeping costs down and stress levels low.

“I booked early. I started looking in September because I knew we were going for Christmas, the longer you wait, the higher the prices go, as you were saying,” said North Providence resident, Chantee Weah.

Meanwhile, some travelers are in awe of the efficiency of the airport’s security process this year with earlier flights.

“Look at that security line. I watched them walk through and then had time to come and talk to you, I had time to cry and be like, ‘they’re leaving,’ and then come and talk to you, and they’re at their gate already. It was so fast,” said Ashaway resident, Sarah Saint Laurent.

It’s not just the holiday travelers who benefit.

The airport’s new accessibility technology, Goodmaps, is also helping to make navigating the terminals a breeze for everyone

Whether travelers are taking advantage of lower-priced flights, planning early to save, or making use of the airport’s new technology, the holiday season is to be busy, but manageable.