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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Federal Aviation Authority said Florida flights were expected to peak Saturday for the busy Fourth of July weekend.
Those arriving and departing, scurried through Jacksonville International Airport on Saturday as they headed in and out for the holiday weekend. Brandi O’Daniel flew from Houston to Jacksonville.
“I’m coming to celebrate the holiday with a family friend,” said O’Daniel.
According to the FAA, airlines are carrying the highest number of passengers since early 2020. Florida air traffic is 150%-170% higher at some airports. More than 4,000 flights were predicted for Saturday in the Sunshine State, according to the FAA.
Most travelers News4JAX spoke with said they had a positive flying experience on Saturday.
“All in all the travel was fine. Everything was efficient. There are definitely a lot more people than I’m usually used to seeing — an extremely excessive amount,” said Faried Elchaer.
According to FlightAware, as of noon Saturday, there were more than 2,200 flight delays and 584 cancellations in the U.S. There were seven delays and eight cancellations at JAX.
The FAA said more delays were expected because of thunderstorms impacting Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Florida and Houston.
Travelers are encouraged to arrive at the airport two hours before their departure to allow plenty of time to check their bag, get through security and find a place to park.
O’Daniel said she’s grateful she had an early flight.
“I was expecting it to be very chaotic. A lot of traffic maybe a cancellation, but everything was very smooth,” said O’Daniel.
