Busiest travel day for holiday weekend as South Dakotans come home

SIOUX FALLS, S.D (KELO) — Residents across South Dakota are making their way back from the holiday weekend.

AAA predicted around 55 million people traveled for Thanksgiving, the highest number of travelers since before the pandemic.

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Over 180,000 South Dakotans hit the road or the skies for Thanksgiving, and today is expected to be the busiest day for return traveling.

As people headed off the plane and onto baggage claim, many say they had different experiences while flying. Those flying from Chicago and Arizona faced small delays due to weather, while some of those coming from Dallas found solidarity in the crowd.

“A lot of people rushing around but everyone’s in the same boat and just taking it as it comes being patient. Just spreading those good attitudes to everyone else to since it is the holidays,” said Kendra Poulter, Sioux Falls Resident.

“Even though it was crowded a lot of people, we left on time. Flight was great. Landed on time, actually a little early. No problems,” said Steve Cammack, pheasant hunter.

Steve Cammack and his group traveled here not for the holidays but for hunting. This is their 15th annual trip to South Dakota.

“We’ll be here Sunday through Thursday. So we’ll hunt in the mornings and then we’ll hang out in the afternoons. Fun fun activities, go to a big dinner every night have steak probably in Mitchell,” Cammack said.

Kendra Poulter was visiting family for Thanksgiving. She said she planned ahead for the flight home from Texas.

“Definitely leaving a little bit early to get through security. The lines were a little bit longer, extra time to get to your gate just in case of things and then also just planning ahead and realizing there might be delays too. So just kind of going in with that expectation as well,” Poulter said.

Monday is also expected to be a busy day at the airports. AAA predicted around 160 thousand South Dakotans also drove for Thanksgiving.