Thanksgiving travel rush begins at San Antonio International Airport

Heavy volume of travelers expected for next 10 days

SAN ANTONIO – Airlines that fly out of San Antonio International Airport are booked near capacity for the next 10 days.

There are already long lines at check-in and security, and many of the travelers have a different look, with more strollers and small children than normal.

Friday, next Monday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are expected to be the busiest days.

"We came actually two hours before, and I actually didn't expect for it to be like this at this time. I kind of expected to breeze through a little bit," Greg Griffin said.

He said he did exactly what the airport recommends. He and his girlfriend are headed to Ohio for Thanksgiving with their 5-month-old and they left extra early.

Brigitte Cooney is a frequent flyer, so she said she knows the holiday travel drill.

"We always come to the airport early, because we know we have long lines, and especially if we're traveling internationally," she said.

Her son is off school and her husband took the week off, so they're headed to Costa Rica.

Instead of of flying to see family, they're taking a vacation.

"It takes a little bit more time. We're travelers, so we're accustomed to it," Cooney said.

Nicole Crouch doesn't usually travel by air around the holidays, and was relieved that the lines weren't longer than they were.

"I have flown the day after Thanksgiving many years ago, and it was much worse than this," she said.

The airport recommends checking its website before leaving to get real-time flight updates.