BALTIMORE — The post-holiday travel rush is in full swing as millions of people nationwide return home after visiting loved ones. Maryland has been no exception, with busy highways, airports, and train stations.
AAA Mid-Atlantic estimates that 2.3 million Marylanders traveled for the holidays, with most opting to drive. Across the country, the TSA expects to screen around 40 million passengers through early January—an increase of 6% from 2023. This year has already set records in air travel, with most of the top 10 busiest travel days ever happening in 2024.
Despite the numbers, some Maryland travelers have been pleasantly surprised by smooth trips.
“I was kind of anticipating it being kind of crazy in here, but it’s really not,” said Jada Richardson, who drove from Pennsylvania to fly out of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport to Texas. “There really wasn’t a lot of traffic on the highway coming over here to the airport.”
BWI saw a few delays on Thursday evening due to weather issues in parts of the northwest, south, and midwest. Still, many passengers found the experience easier than expected.
“It’s been pretty smooth actually. No complaints. Not a lot of crowds like I was expecting,” said Andrew King, who flew from New York to Maryland before continuing his trip south to visit family.
On the rails, Amtrak trains in the northeast are running smoothly again after some service interruptions earlier in the holiday season. For many, trains remain a stress-free option.
“Once again, it takes the stress out of having to drive. Traveling by train is very convenient,” said Vanessa, who had just dropped her daughter off at Baltimore’s station for a trip back to New York.
Road travel in Maryland was typical for the season, with some congestion in usual trouble spots. Greg Robitaille, visiting Baltimore from Toronto, avoided the worst of it by hitting the road early.
“We left at 4 a.m. today, so there wasn’t that much traffic until we got 10 minutes from here,” he said.
With the post-holiday rush continuing through the end of the week, travel experts advise planning ahead and staying patient. Whether by car, train, or plane, millions are on the move, but for some, the journey has been easier than expected.
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