The TSA said it is working with airport, airline and FAA partners to ensure operations run smoothly ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
WASHINGTON — With summer officially underway, travelers are flocking to the airports in record numbers. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced Tuesday that it just had its busiest day ever.
On Sunday, June 22, TSA officers screened 3,096,293 travelers at airport security checkpoints nationwide, narrowly surpassing the previous single-day record of 3,088,836 people, set on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2024.
The new record comes as TSA prepares for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, which is expected to draw over 18.5 million more to airports across the country.
Sunday’s record continues a pattern of rising travel demand. Last year, the TSA documented multiple days where over 2.9 million passengers were screened and twice that broke the 3 million mark.
“The 10 busiest travel days in TSA’s history have all occurred in 2024, and we anticipate that trend to continue,” former TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a 2024 statement.
The TSA said it is working with airport, airline and FAA partners to ensure operations run smoothly.
“TSA continues to work closely with our industry partners and ensure our airport security checkpoints are fully staffed and prepared to handle the heavy rush of traffic,” TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said.
“We are deploying technologies and procedures to improve security and enhance the passenger experience, including for families. We ask travelers to pack their patience, especially during peak travel days, as we work to provide maximum hospitality to our customers.” McNeill added.
Previous spikes in post-holiday traffic led to widespread delays and missed flights at major airports like Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International and Chicago O’Hare.
With another major holiday approaching, officials are urging travelers to plan ahead, pack smart and take advantage of programs like TSA PreCheck.
Passengers should ensure they’re following the 3.4-ounce limit for liquids in carry-on bags and check TSA.gov or @AskTSA on social media with any questions about what items are allowed through security.
Travelers are also reminded to enroll or double-check their TSA PreCheck status, and ensure they have their REAL IDs or other acceptable IDs, to help speed up screening.