Labor Day travel returns to levels seen earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic – WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Airports and highways were crowded this Labor Day weekend as travel numbers returned to levels seen earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There were quite a bit of people traveling and going through everywhere, and then just down in Fort Lauderdale, as well, there was just a lot of people,” Lafayette resident Jennifer Gill said.

On Thursday, the Transportation Security Administration screened roughly 2.3 million travelers, which is about 20 percent more than this time last year.

“I had a couple of flights during COVID and it’s definitely better. Planes are full, people are happy. Back to normal,” Lafayette resident Lindsey Kilty said. “It feels amazing just to be able to kind of feel like we’re back to normal, get out and be able to live our lives.”

While some are returning home, other passengers are departing, like Indianapolis resident Kymeri Davis.

Davis says she’s flying to Houston to donate blood stem cells for a cancer patient through the organization Be The Match.

“I just keep telling myself that the person that I’m hopefully hoping to save probably has it way worse than I do, so this is just a temporary thing that I have to do and hopefully this will give them a little bit, a longer life,” Davis said. “It’s nice that COVID isn’t necessarily on the front of my mind. Obviously, I’m still thinking about it. I still have a mask, but it’s not a huge concern right now.”

According to the TSA, fewer people traveled over the Labor Day holiday weekend compared to the July 4th holiday weekend.