Holiday travel delays leave some visitors stuck at Tampa International Airport

TAMPA, Fla. — Now that the America 250 celebrations have wound down, millions of Americans are making their way back home. But for some travelers at Tampa International Airport, the journey is taking a little longer than expected.

Hundreds of flights out of TIA were delayed Sunday, and a handful were canceled — leaving visitors with no choice but to extend their stay in the Bay Area, whether they planned to or not.

WATCH: Holiday travel delays leave some visitors stuck at Tampa International Airport

Sisters from New York face two-day delay

Natalie Leon and her sister traveled from Long Island to spend the holiday weekend in Tampa. On Sunday, they arrived at the airport ready to head home — only to find out their plans had changed dramatically.

"We came like an hour ago, and then we were going to check in, and it said like it's too early to check in, and then they said your flight's canceled," Leon said.

With chicken wings on the table and bags by their side, the sisters settled in for an unexpected wait. Their JetBlue flight to JFK was canceled, and the next available departure isn't until Tuesday.

"I think it's for like the weather probably," Leon said, staying positive despite the setback.

National travel chaos affects Tampa

She's right. Severe storms moving through the nation are causing widespread travel disruptions, according to ABC News. Routes into major cities like Chicago, Houston, New York City, Minneapolis and Seattle experienced peak congestion Sunday.

Triple-A estimates a record-breaking 72 million people traveled at least 50 miles from home over the holiday weekend — the highest number ever recorded for a Fourth of July travel period.

Oklahoma family waits all day

Just a few steps away from the Leon sisters, the Harris family from Oklahoma has been at the airport since early morning.

"Our first flight was for 7:55 a.m., got rescheduled or delayed to what, 6 or something like that, 6:10, something like that," said Ronde Harris. "So we've been here for some hours, and I'm ready to get out of here, ready to go home."

The Harris family is flying Southwest. The Leon sisters booked JetBlue. Across the board — delays, changes, and cancellations hit travelers Sunday regardless of carrier.

To pass the time, Harris found creative ways to stay occupied.

"I've just been sitting here playing chess with my brother over there, like just that's what I've been doing all day, just eating, playing chess," he said.

Not everyone experienced delays

But not everyone dealt with the holiday headache. While some waited to check in, a group of men from Puerto Rico rushed to board their on-time flight.

"For us this travel has been very, very good, very easygoing," said Esteban Santiago, who was headed home after spending his first Independence Day in Tampa.

"For us this was an awesome, awesome opportunity for my son, for me," Santiago said with a smile. "We hope to come next year."

Good memories despite the wait

So while not everyone felt the delays, they're all leaving Tampa with good memories of the country's 250th birthday celebration.

"We were just like at the beach," Leon said about their extended Tampa stay.

Harris reflected on his week of fishing in Florida: "Of course, do a lot of fishing. Didn't catch any fish, but you know, it's whatever."

Travelers who spoke with us say weather was the main culprit for Sunday's delays, compounded by the record-breaking holiday weekend travel rush.