American Airlines temporarily grounds flights morning of Christmas Eve

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- As we head into the peak of holiday travel, experts and travelers are offering tips to ensure a smooth traveling experience during the holiday season.

Some local travelers were impacted after American Airlines grounded all their flights across the U.S. Tuesday morning.

An American Airline flight that was scheduled to Charlotte and Dallas Airport was affected but at this time the grounded flights have been lifted.

Passengers are encouraged to download their designated airline app to gauge when they should head to the airport.

Arriving early will allow travelers to park, check luggage, get through TSA and make it to their gate before the plane departs.

Julie Curtis, Vice President of Marketing and Air Service Development at South Bend International Airport, shared tips for to ensure your holiday goes as planned.

“We recommend that passengers check their flight status directly with their airline that their traveling on before heading to the airport, that way if there are any delays you can be delayed in the comfort of your own home. The airlines are doing their very best to get everybody that’s traveling this holiday season to their final destination on time," said Curtis.

If you plan to travel with presents, officials suggest you travel with gift bags to prevent them from being unwrapped just in case TSA needs to examine them further at the checkpoint.

You can stay updated on the South Bend International Airport website for flight updates in real time.