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US air travel set a record over Thanksgiving weekend, despite snowy weather

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration said 3.09 million passengers went through U.S. airport screening Sunday, which is some 74,000 more than the previous single-day record set on July 7.
Thanksgiving Travel
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Travel through U.S. airports set a record at the close of the Thanksgiving weekend, officials said Monday.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration said 3.09 million passengers went through U.S. airport screening on Sunday, which is some 74,000 more than the previous single-day record set on July 7.

There were more than 7,000 delayed flights and 163 total cancellations in the U.S. Sunday, which was not an unusually high rate of disruption. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson and Chicago's O'Hare International Airports were most affected.

On Monday, there were 5,130 delays and 111 cancellations.

RELATED STORY | Interstates close as heavy snow blasts Great Lakes region

Lake-effect snow contributed to the air travel snarls and has caused days of treacherous roads in parts of the Great Lakes region.

Heavy snow caused whiteout conditions and shut down parts of Interstate 94 in Michigan Monday. Officials said one driver was critically injured in a crash that involved 14 vehicles and three semi-trucks.

Parts of western New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, where snow had already fallen, saw additional totals on Sunday and Monday.

Places like Buffalo, New York could see up to two more feet of snow yet through Monday. In all, the National Weather Service said, parts of the region got five feet of snow in four days' time.