Sunday marked one of the busiest travel days of the year as people began returning home from Fourth of July festivities.
According to AAA, more than 72 million people hit the road or skies for Independence Day in 2026, breaking the record set last year.
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Madison Taylor, who was traveling to San Francisco from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, said she and her family arrived at the airport to help beat some of the expected travel rush.
"We left two hours early to get here from Fort Bragg, expecting to be in traffic, and we didn't run into any," Taylor said. "We're here early, but that's totally OK."
A complete contrast from her trip from California to North Carolina a few days earlier, she says.
"It took me longer to get through security than it has in a really long time."
And Taylor was not alone. Eric Johnson, who flew out from RDU to Atlanta on Friday, said it was the first time he's ever had to park on the top floor of the airport parking deck.
"I didn't know there was a top to it. I learned that this weekend because there [were] so many people here," Johnson said.
TSA said it screened more than 130,000 people during the holiday weekend, with checkpoints fully staffed and prepared to handle the large passenger volume.
Johnson told WRAL News, as he was picking up his bags shortly after landing, that he felt that most people felt the rush trying to get back home.
"Just a lot of people moving around, TSA down there was taking forever," he added.
Those who were hoping for a smooth trip back by car may have more congestion than usual, as roughly 61 million people traveled on the ground instead of the air.
"Traffic was bad on the road," Johnson said. "A lot of people were on the road."
To avoid the rush, AAA suggested making the trip back home on a Monday or Tuesday. For those looking for a flight on Sunday or Monday, arrive early and check your flight's status with the airline.