SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It’s the busiest travel day for the Sacramento International Airport with hundreds of cars packed together to drop off or pick up passengers ahead of the holiday weekend.
Jenny Bermudez was waiting on an important arrival.
“We are waiting for my daughter she is coming home from the military, for her to be home with her sister and brother is a big deal, she’s not home very often so getting to be home for Christmas is huge,” said Bermudez.
Others anxiously hoping they won't get held up too long in security or luggage.
Verna Field was taking some very precious carry-on's back home to Houston, Texas.
“My daughter got married, we are just taking her flowers home,” said Field.
Some hope flying out will be better than flying in — like avoiding bags getting lost with a bridesmaid’s dress inside, barely making it in time for the wedding.
Passengers like Texanna Cole are simply not willing to risk it and have creative ways around potentially losing holiday gifts while traveling.
“We have four children, seven grand children and eight great grandchildren. With that many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren you give money, that travels better,” said Cole.
Others are the gift themselves. Active military members Christy and Jordan Zeckser are flying across the country just in time to be home for the holidays.
"We are going to surprise our kids we got a red cross message his dad was in the ICU, so we flew out the next day but he’s better and we are able to surprise our kids for Christmas, we are coming home,” said Christy Zeckser. “It’s a much better Christmas than we thought it would be."
People are willing to go through a lot when they travel because they say it's all about the destination.
Those choosing to drive for the holidays should expect another 15.4 million Californians on the roadways — the busiest since 2019. Expect Dec. 23 and 28 to be the busiest days with the best time to drive before lunch or after 7 p.m.
