More travelers expected to be on the road and in the sky this holiday season

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The holiday travel season is upon us and this year many more people are planning to travel on the roadways or board a plane.

According to AAA, from December 23rd to January 2nd, over 109 million people will head to destinations all over the country. The membership-based service says this year's numbers are a dramatic 92% difference from what we saw in 2019.

“With vaccines widely available, conditions are much different and many people feel a greater level of comfort traveling but travelers will still be mindful of the pandemic and the new omicron variant,” said Aldo Vazquez, AAA Arizona Spokesperson.

If you're planning on traveling by plane you are not alone, the Yuma International Airport is anticipating more locals in the sky compared to 2020. However, due to air carriers having a tough time with crew availability there could fewer flight options.

“So here's the difference from last year to this year is the frequencies a little bit less. So, for example, instead of having six flights during the holiday season, we're seeing the four flights. We do on Thursday (the 23rd) I believe, we are seeing a little bit of an increase where they're bringing in five or six flights,” explained airport director, Gladys Brown.