Tips for the busiest holiday travel season in a decade

It's the busiest travel season in decades, and Michiana is getting prepared.
According to AAA, more than 48 million people will travel 50 miles or more this holiday. That's the most since 2007.

To avoid the rush, South Bend international airport officials suggest you download your airlines app to get a clearer picture of your flight status.

If you're trying to avoid delays, you are actually best off flying on the Thanksgiving holiday. Believe it or not, that day is less congested.

And while it's a popular time to bring gifts for loved ones, local airport officials say you're better off shipping them. But if you do bring them with you, don't wrap them.

"You will want to have them unwrapped," said Julie Curtis of the South Bend International Airport. "Should the TSA agents have to look further into your bags, they will unwrap those. So it's always best to keep those items unwrapped and then wrap them once you get to your destination."

Of course, if you do bring gifts, pack them well. Make sure they are secure and use bubble wrap if you need to.

If you want to speed things up, show up early. SBN suggests 90 minutes ahead of your departure time. Also consider applying for TSA pre-check, which lets you keep shoes and coats on and keep laptops and liquids inside your bag.

If you're wondering what you can and can't bring, you can directly message the TSA on Facebook and they will tell you. The key thing is remembering the liquid rule, where you are allowed one quart size ziplock bag for your items like mouthwash and cologne.