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LAX Expected To Be Busiest Airport Nationwide Over Thanksgiving Holiday

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — More than 2 million people are expected to travel through Los Angeles International Airport over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The 11-day travel period, from Nov. 22 through Dec. 2, will see a 6.8 percent increase in passengers over 2012.

LAX is also expected to be the busiest airport in the nation thanks to larger aircraft and more international flights.

"Over the course of the day, we're gonna be expecting a lot of people coming to the airport. We're going to be fully staffed," TSA official Nico Melendez said.

Travelers are urged to check their flight status prior to departure due to a powerful East Coast storm that has prompted the cancellation of more than 1,300 flights and delayed thousands more since Sunday.

Nationwide, more than 43 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving, according to AAA.

LAX officials forecast that Sunday, Dec. 1, will be the busiest day of the 11-day holiday travel period.

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