SAN ANTONIO, Texas – About seven million people nationwide all seemed to have the same idea for the days leading up to Thanksgiving -- to take to the skies, traveling to places where they can be among those who they love.
Record-breaking crowds were expected to fill airports all across the country beginning Tuesday morning.
At San Antonio International Airport, that travel crunch appeared to be off to a sluggish start.
Travelers filed in slowly Tuesday morning, never waiting more than a few minutes in short lines at the airline ticket counters and security checkpoints.
“It’s not too bad just yet,” said Jesse Martinez, who was getting ready to board a flight to Cancun with his family. “But just wait until around lunchtime. It seems like that’s when the rush will hit. So, we just tried to beat that.”
Martinez, who was looking forward to a tropical vacation, was pleasantly surprised that travel also was a breeze.
He, along with his wife and two sons, put their usual Thanksgiving traditions aside to make new memories.
“First time we’ve ever been away from our family for Thanksgiving,” he said. “We’re going to eat a taco at Thanksgiving. That’s what we’re going to do. But we just wanted to get away a little bit.”
As it turned out, they were not the only travelers who aren’t exactly putting turkey at the top of their food lists.
Daria South and Jace Vavreck will be celebrating the American holiday with family in Belgium.
“Waffles, fries,” South said, describing their upcoming meals. “That’s (Belgians') thing.”
For Tanyla Mims, the star of the holiday meal will be sweet potato pie.
It has been six months since the newly trained soldier has been home at all.
“I just hope everybody will be happy to see me because I’m happy to be going home,” Mims said.
Michaela Weichman, who is also in the military, may have to set her own place at the table. She’s keeping her trip home a secret.
“None of my family knows that I’m coming back, so I want to surprise them,” she said.
Their happy homecomings will be the icing on the cake after a morning of smooth travels for them and everyone else.
As of late Tuesday morning, there were no flight cancellations or delays listed among the travel schedules at the airport.
What will happen during the return home remains to be seen.
Sunday is expected to be another especially heavy day for travel.