Busy travel weekend at RDU; some flying in from Florida, away from Dorian

MORRISVILLE, N.C. - (WTVD) -- RDU is gearing up for a busy Labor Day weekend.

The airport is expecting more than 126,000 travelers this holiday weekend with more than 45,000 on Friday alone, the peak travel day.

Some flying in from Florida said they're grateful to be in the Triangle while many in their home state prepare for Hurricane Dorian.

Giorgio Res and Bobbie Harrell arrived at RDU from Orlando on Friday. They live in Vero Beach, Florida.

"I think people are very concerned but they feel like they've got time," Harrell said.

Harrell and Res had already planned to fly into the Triangle this Labor Day weekend to visit family. Now, because of the hurricane, they'll likely end up staying longer.

"We're just grateful that we had it planned because the hurricane (will) really impact us, we're pretty sure," Harrell said.

"What we can see from the diagrams, the weather diagrams, it's probably going to hit directly where we live, Vero Beach," Res said. "Hopefully not. Hopefully, it doesn't hit at all. But you can't take a chance. We've been there before when it was a Category 3. But that was bad enough so a Category 4 would be devastating."

Ignacio Lander flew into RDU from Miami since he's moving to the area to go to college. He said he experienced Hurricane Irma and now his grandmother is preparing for another hurricane.

"She's a little worried," he said. "She's going every day to the supermarket buying stuff so she'll be prepared for the hurricane."

Some airlines are offering travel waivers for flights in and out of the Caribbean and Florida.

RDU is recommending passengers arrive at the airport two hours early due to the busy travel weekend.