Pittsburgh International Airport, AAA brace for record-setting travel over Memorial Day Weekend

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Memorial Day holiday is well underway and that means plenty of travel by air and by land. 

So, if you’re heading to Pittsburgh International Airport today to catch a flight, we’ve got what you can expect. 

Millions are expected to take to the skies and the roadway to celebrate what many consider the official start of summer. 

It’s expected to be the second-highest Memorial Day holiday travel forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. 

RELATED: Travelers prepare for long lines at Pittsburgh International Airport ahead of record-breaking Memorial Day Weekend travel

They’re projecting 43.8 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Memorial Day holiday travel period. 

According to AAA, this weekend is expected to be the most congested at airports since 2005 with more than 3.5 million flying across the country. 

Most Americans, however, will be driving with an estimated 38.4 million expected to hit the roads. 

Mary Harrelson is driving with her husband, her sister, and their five young kids from Georgia to Pennsylvania. 

“We are having to drive through D.C. so we’re going to hit some traffic over ready for it and we mentally prepared ourselves,” she said. 

This year’s total number of travelers is a 4% increase over last year and comes close to matching 2005’s record of 44 million Memorial Day travelers. 

“I was kind of shocked when I came in and I kept on going to the back of the line, didn’t realize it would be this long,” said Jen McDonald who lives in the North Hills and arrived to long lines at Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday morning. 

If you’re heading out today, you can always check wait times and flight status on the Pittsburgh International Airport website at this link.