ORLANDO, Fla. – With the Fourth of July holiday weekend coming up, travel experts are predicting a massive increase in the number of travelers.
Officials with Orlando International Airport said they predict 1.7 million people will travel through the airport this holiday weekend.
“Everyone is eager to get back out there, but like every other industry, aviation is also feeling the effects of staffing shortages, inflation and high fuel prices,” Brian Engle with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority said in a statement.
[TRENDING: Intruders shoot, critically wound woman at home near Winter Park, deputies say | Tropical Storm Bonnie forms in the Caribbean | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Airport officials warn travelers to plan ahead for delays and be patient as they travel.
Despite record high gas prices, AAA predicts 42 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles this weekend. That amount is 150,000 more vehicles on the road than last year.
AAA also said gas prices have gone down for the past two weeks in a row.
Ahead of the busy weekend, Orlando officials also warned travelers that a weather delay anywhere in the world could cause delays in Orlando, even if the Florida sky is clear.
“You’ve got to be patient because, right now, my flight is delayed, so we have to be patient,” Juliet Roberts said at OIA on Friday.
Even if you are only stopping at the airport to pick someone up, passenger Heather Oles said that could be frustrating as well.
“It’s insane. My husband — their dad — is here, and he can’t even park, so he’s just double parked,” she said. “And now, when we come, we bring an extra person with the car because you cannot park.”
Travel experts report airline tickets have increased 14% compared to this time last year.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: