Travel numbers start to rise at SFO as holiday season nears

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - About six million people will fly through San Francisco International Airport between today until the end of the year. That is good news for the travel industry. 

A large number like that may seem typical for holiday travel, but we haven't seen a large number like that in about four years. SFO says it is prepared. 

The airport has 43 airlines flowing through the airport this year. Each year, travelers are feeling more and more comfortable flying back to those pre-pandemic levels. 

"Holiday travel has changed drastically over time because there are some things that COVID-19 brought about that we're not likely to see change. A big trend that we have seen an uptick over the last couple as a reflection of COVID habits is the market of leisure travelers," Lauren Duffy, Clemson University Recs, Parks and Tourism Management told KTVU. "Those are travelers that plan to blend both business and travel and leisure in the same trip."

All of that means busy days are ahead at the airport, not just today. Always be sure to check on the status of your flight for any of those delays or cancelations.

As always, officials at SFO say if you have a flight, try to get here early, two hours before the domestic flight or three hours ahead of the international flight. Add a little more buffer this weekend, as many people will be heading home from the APEC summit. President Biden will head back to Washington, D.C. later on Friday as well.