Holiday travelers hit some snarls as they take to skies, roads

(CNN) -- Millions of Americans are joining the bustle of Thanksgiving travelers on the eve of one of the nation's busiest travel days.

For many, it's been painfully slow going.

Weather delays of almost two hours greeted some travelers flying into Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday evening.

Fog in the New York area was delaying some arriving flights at Newark International and LaGuardia airports by more than 90 minutes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Some flights into and out of John F. Kennedy International Airport have been delayed by almost an hour, and low cloud cover caused average delays of about 30 minutes at Philadelphia International Airport.

Coastal fog caused minor delays at Los Angeles International Airport early Tuesday, but operations were running smoothly after mid-morning.

Chris and Sheralyn Baltes, of Santa Monica, California, enjoyed a quick trip through security screening Tuesday with their two small children.

"We travel a lot. It's been terrible, but they must have cracked down or something because they were so fast today," Sheralyn Baltes said.

Earlier Tuesday, a fiery crash on Interstate 95 north of Baltimore, Maryland, closed all southbound lanes for hours, complicating the trip for some drivers.

On Monday, a technical problem at Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport in Texas, and fog at Southern California airports snarled operations.

More than 24 percent of airline flights through September arrived late, making 2007 the worst year for on-time performance since comparable data began being collected in 1995, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

I-Reporter Andrea Wernli and her husband, Chris, hoped to avoid frustration Tuesday morning by taking a 5:45 a.m. flight to Atlanta, Georgia, out of Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas.

"We can sleep on the plane and get to where we need to be, get our car and get out of the rush. For me, that's essential," Wernli said.

The Air Transport Association is expecting 27 million passengers to fly during 12 days beginning November 16. Check the FAA's real-time airport status map

Air transportation experts believe steps announced last week by President Bush will help mitigate holiday delays. Military airspace along the East Coast will be opened to commercial airliners, and the FAA has developed plans with officials in the New York metro area to reduce air traffic bottlenecks. All FAA personnel will be focused on keeping flights running on time. Watch what to expect at airports for the holiday »

"It's like chicken soup -- it can't hurt, but it certainly can help," said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, an advocacy group for airline passengers.

The key for air travelers is to arrive at the airport with plenty of time and get to the gate early, Stempler said.

"They're going to board these planes extra early. Don't saunter up there 15 minutes before. We're recommending being at the gate at least 45 minutes in advance."

Gather information about your flight, security regulations, conditions at the airport and suggested arrival times in advance of your trip, Stempler said. Bring snacks, reading material and the 800 number for your airline in case of delays or cancellations.

Travelers checking bags should put a copy of their itinerary and their name, address and phone number inside their bags in case they're misplaced in transit, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association advised. Try these tips to travel like a pro »

Dara Rees won't be checking any bags on her flight from Lexington, Kentucky, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday morning.

"I'm packing as lightly as I possibly can. I'll be home for two days, so I'll need two outfits, and maybe I'll steal some pajamas from somebody back home," Rees said.

Meanwhile, Americans hitting the road will be forking over more money to fill gas tanks.

The price of gasoline jumped another 13 cents per gallon in the past two weeks, according to a survey published Sunday. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular is $3.09, the Lundberg Survey found. That's just 9 cents below the record set in May.

The travel organization AAA estimates 38.7 million Americans nationwide will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. That represents a 1.5 percent increase over last year. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Ed Lavandera and Tracy Sabo contributed to this report.

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