SALT LAKE CITY – The day before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest day of the year for air travel and the Salt Lake City airport was no exception as it prepared for the number of travelers to match pre-pandemic levels. 

If you find yourself waiting in those TSA security lines, there is a potentially quicker way. 

The large security checkpoint is on the second floor. It can have long lines but KSL discovered a security checkpoint on level one that opened quietly a few weeks ago.

TSA directed people there Wednesday where the wait was much quicker.

If you are traveling this year, prepare for a crush of people. Via @MorganWolfeKSL https://t.co/RgEhRc0Uhv

— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) November 24, 2021

Salt Lake International Airport is expected to see about 26,000 travelers on Wednesday and again on Sunday as people return.

That’s double last year’s number and about 1,000 less than 2019.

“The good news is people are traveling again. People feel comfortable traveling again. It’s a very busy place to be today.” said Nancy Volmer the spokesperson for the airport. “We are actually feeling very thankful that we have passengers back here and traveling again.”

Passengers told KSL that they feel like flying has rebounded.  

“I haven’t been on a flight that’s empty and I have been to California, Arizona, Seattle,” said one traveler. 

Another said, “That’s why we came early, just to have extra time.” 

Airport managers recommend that travelers arrive 2 hours early around the holidays in case there are long lines.  

“I think our world is coming back to normal, that is my hope,” said another traveler.

Planning to pick someone up? Traffic building @slcairport pic.twitter.com/A0B2SCg29e

— Dan Rascon (@TVDanRascon) November 24, 2021

Salt Lake Police said people also need a reminder on the parking situation.

“We are having some issues with parking out at the airport,” said Det. Michael Ruff with the Salt Lake City Police Department as people parked illegally on the shoulder of the road as they come into the airport.

“There are signs parked all the way along here saying, no stopping, no standing, no parking yet we are seeing people parking instead of using the park and wait lot which is right behind us. We are trying to educate people, ‘hey this is not the place to park’”.

One other reminder, masks are required at all times in the airport.