Flight delays as holiday travel begins-More than 65 million travelers expected between Christmas, New Year's

Dense fog and a low cloud ceiling forced airlines to cancel more than 200 flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Friday at the start of the busy holiday travel season. Travelers also encountered weather-related delays at airports in the New York City area.

Flights in and out of O'Hare, the nation's second-busiest airport, were delayed by up to two hours, airport spokesman Gregg Cunningham said. Chicago's Midway International Airport reported delays of up to 45 minutes, but did not report any cancelations.

AAA says more than 65 million people will travel for Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations, slightly more than last year, even though airfares and gasoline are significantly more expensive. Fifty-three million will drive, while 9 million will fly.

An average plane ticket costs 16 percent more than last Christmas, according to AAA. Its latest fuel gauge report shows gas is back below $3 a gallon, with regular averaging $2.98 nationwide. But that’s 65 cents higher than last year.