Steel and construction workers placed the highest piece of steel on Albany airport's $100 million construction project Saturday. Officials are calling it a significant milestone with the finish line roughly two years away.

CBS6 got an up-close look at the beam, going up amid holiday travel.

It's one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.

"Well, we thought it would be fun to prank our grandma while she was coming home to visit so we decided to make a funny poster specifically with her face on it so everyone would know who we were waiting for," said Samantha Grimm who was waiting for her mother.

This family is one of many who are navigating not just holiday travel, but also Albany Airport, currently under construction.

On Saturday a ceremonial steel beam was signed and bolted to the top of what will be the departure hall -- a welcome sight for a project hampered by delays and administrative changes.

"When we first got started the project fell back quite a bit," said Samuel Fresina, Airport Authority Board chairman

Amid this project, the Albany County Airport Authority fired CEO Phil Calderone in September, and now they say with acting Albany Airport CEO Peter Stuto and COO John O'Donnell they are back on track.

"But they really turned this project around as we just heard. We are ahead of schedule getting steel work done," said Fresina.

The construction of the airport isn't set to be done until the summer of 2026 - and acting CEO Peter Stuto Says that it should not slow down holiday travelers:

"We did our best to make it as easy for the travelers as possible we've cleared the hallways out we've painted we've opened things up. We've opened up the roadway with his clear signage so we can have we have ambassadors and other folks walking around the terminal helping people get to their get on their flights."

Stuto reminds everyone to show up 2 hours early to their flight so they can get to their destination.