The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is experiencing a surge in air travel this summer, setting new records for airport traffic. Over the weekend, a staggering 2.99 million travellers passed through TSA checkpoints on Sunday, marking the busiest day ever. This unprecedented volume reflects a growing trend in summer travel, with the TSA anticipating over 32 million travellers to be screened during the July 4th holiday period from June 27th to July 8th.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske attributed the surge to a healthy economy and the peak of summer travel season. He expressed the agency’s preparedness, alongside airline and airport partners, to handle the increased passenger volume. The TSA projects a 5.4% increase in travellers for this July 4th compared to the same period last year, continuing a trend of record-breaking travel figures witnessed during the recent Memorial Day weekend. In fact, seven out of the ten busiest travel days ever recorded occurred within the past month.
To accommodate the rising passenger numbers, the TSA has taken proactive measures by bolstering recruitment efforts and significantly reducing staff turnover rates. To avoid potential delays during the busy July 4th holiday, the TSA strongly encourages travellers to arrive at the airport early. Most airlines recommend arriving two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights. It is also crucial to ensure carry-on luggage is packed correctly to avoid delays, particularly regarding liquid restrictions of 3.4 ounces or less.
Travellers enrolled in the TSA PreCheck program can typically experience faster security lines as they are exempt from removing shoes, belts, light jackets, laptops, and liquids from their carry-on bags. Children under 12 can accompany their parents or guardians who are enrolled in the program, and since last year, teenagers aged 13 to 17 can also access the PreCheck lane if travelling on the same reservation and possessing a TSA PreCheck mark on their boarding pass.
