MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Airports are looking at a major comeback in travel for Memorial Day weekend. AAA estimates nearly six times as many people are expected to fly this weekend compared to last year during the pandemic.
At Memphis International, the holiday weekend was off to a busy start with vacationers going wheels up on Friday morning.
Tori Lowe was one of the many people waiting in line to check-in for her flight out of Memphis International. She was headed to Houston for a birthday celebration.
“I’m so ready for it," Lowe said. "Houston is about to give me so much life.”
For Lowe, it was her first vacation since the pandemic started.
“Oh I needed it, like desperately," she said. "I was desperate for it. I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from getting to this airport today."
Over the course of the holiday weekend, Memphis International expects to see more than 40,000 people go through the TSA checkpoint, making it the busiest travel period of the year and likely since the pandemic started.
“People are ready to travel and it’s showing here in Memphis," Memphis International spokesman Glen Thomas said.
Thomas said travel expects to increase at MEM by 371% compared to Memorial Day Weekend of 2020 when travel came to mostly a halt.
“It’s been difficult," Lowe said. "I’m so used to being on the go and just being at a complete stop it was so draining very, very draining and frustrating as well.”
Travel numbers are still down for the holiday weekend nationally compared to 2019. For MEM, it's about 20% lower, but Thomas said Memphis travelers are returning at a faster pace than the average airport.
“Memphis has really tracked about 10% higher than the nationwide average in terms of the number of passengers being screened," he said.
They're not exactly sure why Memphis is ahead in travel numbers but the airport has seen an increase in first-time fliers coming through.
For Tom Skeemask, it was his first time flying for a vacation not only since the pandemic, but in more than 20 years. He was headed to South Carolina for some beach time.
His reason for traveling for the first time in decades may be a sentiment many can relate to after the last year.
“Stress," he said. "I needed to destress myself and kind of get away from home for a little bit."
Memphis International reminds fliers, especially first-time fliers, to arrive 90 minutes early to ensure they're ready in time for their flights.