South Bend travelers find stress-free holiday journeys despite increased Christmas travel

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — Christmas Day is here, but for many, the holiday involves more than just unwrapping presents—it means hitting the road or catching a flight to be with loved ones.

While Christmas is a time many associate with being at home, this year, more Americans are taking to the roads and skies. According to AAA, nearly 120 million people are expected to travel during the holiday season, with more choosing to hit the road or fly this year than in previous years.

WSBT got to speak with some travelers at the South Bend International Airport.

“Christmas there was no other flights from my dad to buy us and We usually do Christmas Eve for presents. So it wasn’t a big deal for us, Christmas eve is more of the party time than Christmas day for us.” says Arriaga

For some travelers, like Gigi Arriaga, the timing is all about what fits their family’s tradition. And as many hit the road or board planes, they’re hoping for smooth and quick travel.

“Hopefully no delays I get there on time to have warm weather because I’m so excited to be there not in this ugly weather” says Arriaga.

For others, Christmas travel turned out to be stress free. Jackie Wisecup and her family breezed through security and even arrived ahead of schedule, making it the perfect solution for their busy holiday plans.

“Honestly it was the only thing that worked out for us so my husband is actually driving up right now with the dogs and so we got to go on a flight while he’s driving up 11 hours. “ says WiseCup

For travelers like Colton Wottringe flying out of a smaller airport made his trip easier. He saved money and time, and now he’s on his way to Florida to enjoy a Christmas dinner with family.

“Flights were cheaper. South Bend is a lot closer than Indy so definitely more of a ease than anything else “says Wottringe.

With nearly 120 million travelers expected this year, the holiday season has seen a rise in those choosing to travel on Christmas day.

“My gosh, it was super easy so I would highly recommend doing that. We definitely will probably be doing this moving on.” says WiseCup

While Christmas is often spent at home, for these travelers, the journey itself is part of the holiday story.