ORLANDO, Fla. — By the end of Saturday, Orlando International Airport was expected to record the busiest day of this year's 19-day holiday travel season.

The holiday travel period started Friday, and airport officials warned people to arrive early for several reasons.

Airport officials said they believed about 156,000 people would funnel through security just Saturday. In all, 2.67 million passengers are expected to come in and out of the airport during the travel period from Friday, Dec. 17 through New Year's weekend.

That would mark a return of confidence in travel, even as COVID cases have started to increase again worldwide, and the first time since the pandemic started that many people have journeyed cross country,

The holiday hustle can be a bit daunting, especially when it involves a major airport, like Orlando International. With long bag-check lines, it’s a big game of hurry up and wait.

The pandemic brought travel to a screeching halt early in 2020, and even when it started to come back, many families chose to stay off planes and out of airports to avoid any possible risk.

 Many people getting on planes are in the same boat as Keri Alphonso was.

“This is the first time flying and going out of state since a little before COVID,” Alphonso said.

The thought of traveling during the pandemic felt daunting to Alphonso.

“It’s a lot of an inconvenience to keep small children in masks," she said. "And yeah, we didn’t really know if we could handle it, and we didn’t know if we wanted to take the risk of COVID or anything.”

But the force was strong with her family members. They arrived early enough for their flight to let the boys bond with their new Star Wars droids, which arrived at the airport fresh from Disney World. 

“I think actually doing it let us release the fear," Alphonso said. "...I always try to teach my kids not to live in fear, and we were letting COVID hold us back. Being able to do it, I think we just kind of feel free.”

Then there are the concerns that existed during the holidays even before the pandemic, the long bag-check lines and parking. 

Before this official travel period started, parking garages were packed, an issue also during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Officials have opened up overflow parking to try to limit parking concerns.

Airport officials also urged travelers to plan ahead, before even leaving for the airport – including how they pack and how much time they allow themselves to get from their homes to their planes.

"Besides being here at 3 hours...I'm going to keep saying that...pack your patience,” Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Customer Service Director Brian Engle said. “For a lot of people, they're first-time travelers who haven't traveled in a couple of years. Also, make sure if you've got Christmas gifts you're bringing through, do not wrap them until you get to your destination."

After travelers park and get to the Transportation Security Administration area, a reservation lane for the security checkpoint has been set up that could save some time, too. Travelers can make a reservation through clearme.com, available from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern Time, officials said.

Estimated combined arrivals/departures - Orlando International Airport over Christmas/New Year's

• 1. Saturday, Dec. 18: 156,925
• 2. Saturday, Jan. 1: 153,048
• 3. Thursday, Dec. 30: 146,407
• 4. Monday, Dec. 27: 146,402
• 5. Thursday, Dec. 23: 146,298
• 6. Monday, Jan. 3: 145,614
• 7. Sunday, Jan. 2: 145,430
• 8. Sunday, Dec. 26: 145,097
• 9. Tuesday, Dec. 28: 143,898
• 10. Wednesday, Dec. 29: 142,488
• 11. Sunday, Dec. 19: 139,242
• 12. Tuesday, Dec. 21: 138,223
• 13. Wednesday, Dec. 22: 137,871
• 14. Friday, Dec. 17: 137,289
• 15. Monday, Dec. 20: 137,262
• 16. Tuesday, Jan. 4: 133,113
• 17. Friday, Dec. 31: 129,101
• 18. Friday, Dec. 24: 129,057
• 19. Saturday, Dec. 25: 119,505