COLUMBUS, Ohio — As thousands of travelers are heading to their destinations for the Thanksgiving holiday week, John Glenn International Airport (CMH) is encouraging individuals to be prepared for the chaos. 

More than 210,000 departing airline seats were scheduled between last Thursday and next Wednesday, Nov. 29 for John Glenn and Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK). That’s an 11% increase from last year, according to CMH. 

CMH said the numbers come as Columbus-area airports are nearing their busiest year in history, which includes the busiest September ever recorded.

“There’s more to explore than ever before as we celebrate reaching an all-time high of 53 destinations served nonstop from John Glenn International and the Rickenbacker Passenger Terminal,” said Joseph R. Nardone, President & CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. “As passengers make their way home for the holidays, we hope they are inspired to start planning their next trip during this exceptional time for air travel in Columbus.”

To prepare, CMH offered these tips: 

• Make a plan and know your options before getting to the airport
• Arrive early, at least 90 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and two hours for international
• Pack smart and avoid TSA issues
• Travel smart by using the airline’s mobile app to get status updates, download a boarding pass and more
• Limit time at the curb by waiting for passengers at the free cellphone lot

AAA estimates 55.4 million people will travel at least 50 miles between the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after, making it the third-busiest Thanksgiving for travel in two decades. About 8%, or 4.7 million, plan to fly.