The holiday season is in full swing, bringing both joy and busy travel days. While airports remain crowded, Nashville is seeing a more relaxed atmosphere this year, as the holiday falls in the middle of the week, reducing the expected travel rush.
“Everyone was in a good mood — very relaxed,” said Melissa Walker, who was visiting from Charleston. “People were happy, saying, ‘Merry Christmas!'”
Brooks Morrow, traveling from Brooklyn, shared a similar experience. “I always think it’s going to be busy, but [I was] in and out,” he said. “I got to my gate in about 10 minutes. It was fast.”
While crowds may be more spread out this holiday season, the TSA is still advising passengers to arrive at least two hours before their flight departs. They also recommend leaving gifts unwrapped or in gift bags and remind travelers to check any weapons they may be carrying.
“The traffic coming here is always crazy — as usual — in Nashville, but it wasn’t too bad coming into the parking garage this morning,” said Savannah Nolan, picking up family from the airport. “Parking spots are filling up, but I think it’s going to get a lot busier towards the weekend.”
For those flying out of Nashville, BNA passengers said adding a few extra minutes to their travel plans can help avoid unnecessary stress.
“Just remember why you’re traveling,” said Eleazar Craig, traveling from Louisiana. “At the end of the day, by Christmas Day, you’ll be with the ones you love. So it’s all worth it.”
For those hitting the road instead of the skies, December 23 is considered the most dangerous day to drive this month, followed by the weekends before and after Christmas, according to Nationwide Insurance data.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is urging drivers to stay focused on the road. Troopers will be out in full force looking for distracted, aggressive, and impaired drivers.
“It’s the holiday season, and we’re going to deploy all our troopers to make the roads safer,” said THP Colonel Matt Perry.
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