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Millions Of Marylanders Head Home After The Holidays

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- More than 2 million Marylanders traveled for the holidays, and now it's time to come on home.

Packed airports and busy highways as Marylanders make the return trip on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

The post-holiday rush is happening Monday, with a record number of people traveling during the last week or so, meaning busy roads Monday night as Marylanders come home.

Home for the holidays means it's now time for the 2.3 million Marylanders who traveled to come back home.

"We know that there will be plenty of cars on the road, so we're encouraging people to pack their patience, give themselves ample time," said Ragina Cooper Averella, with AAA.

Cooper Averella says Americans traveled in record-breaking numbers over the last week.

An estimated 107 million headed out of town, with most of them hitting the road.

6 million caught a flight, while another 4 million chose trains, buses, and cruise ships.

"We decided for New Year's that we were going to do something different, so we traveled up," said Virginia resident Dawn Noehl.

Noehl and her boyfriend celebrated the start of 2018 in Baltimore.

Making a two-and-a-half-hour road trip from Virginia, they were back behind the wheel Monday.

"I've noticed on an app that we use, called Waze, that there is some traffic on the interstate, but it doesn't look too bad," she said.

Cooper Averella says to expect the heaviest traffic in major metropolitan areas.

"Certainly, if you can, avoid big cities. Especially Washington D.C. and New York, we know will be particularly congested," she said.

If you're flying Monday night or picking someone up, BWI says conditions there are normal, with no significant delays.

AAA says higher gas prices than last year didn't deter a record-breaking number of people from choosing to drive this holiday season.

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