INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The holiday hustle is on at the Indianapolis International Airport – officials predict thousands of passengers to fly in or out this weekend.

On Saturday, the airport expected about 16,000 people to travel through using its facilities. IND expects the most travelers on Tuesday, about 18,000.

Nationwide, AAA expects about 7.5 million people to fly to their destination Christmas weekend.

On average, this weekend will be less busy for the airport than it was for fall break travelers in October. Indianapolis Airport Authority officials report they saw 19,000-20,000 passengers per day in that period.

For people still looking to travel, the recommendation is to double-check the Transportation Security Administration’s website for carry-on guidelines and flight statuses before heading out to the airport.

Officials are also encouraging passengers to sign up for TSA pre-check.

According to the airport’s Director of Public Affairs, Megan Carrico, TSA has some newer machines, so she recommends people who haven’t flown out of Indianapolis in a while to give themselves a bit more time to get through security.

“Keep everything inside your bag and push it through the machine,” Carrico said. “It elevates our security screening but can take a little time if you’ve never used it before. So, just pack your patience and listen to the instructions from the TSA officers.”

Carrico also says early morning flights from 5 a.m. – 8 a.m. account for one-third of passenger traffic for the day this weekend.

She recommends arriving two hours before a flight, especially if flying during that time period.

For people picking others up at the airport, Carrico urges drivers to wait in the cell phone parking lot before pulling up to the terminal.