If you subscribe to my free travel newsletter (here’s the link), then you know that I’ve been predicting that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would break their single-day record for highest number of passengers screened. The previous record was 2,907,378, which happened the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2023.
Thanksgiving, specifically the Wednesday before and the Sunday after, are traditionally the two busiest travel days of the year. However, post-pandemic, it seems travelers are realizing that nothing should be taken for granted and they’re traveling a lot more often.
Therefore, the previous high before that was June 30, 2023, when 2,884,783 people went through U.S. security checkpoints to kick-off the Fourth of July holiday. Prior to that, I thought it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019 with 2,882,915. However, the TSA just created a new graph (embedded below) that shows it was actually two days ago, Thursday, May 23, 2024 with 2,897,421 passengers.
When I checked the TSA’s website this morning for yesterday’s numbers, my eyes almost popped out of my head for a couple of reasons:
1. The TSA typically doesn’t update their numbers on weekends.
2. They smashed the previous record with 2,951,163 passenger passing through U.S. security checkpoints and it’s Memorial Day weekend, which is a busy time to travel but not like Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July. So I think we can expect this number to be broken again next month, I’m guessing on Friday, June 28th since this year, Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday. Will they break three million? Only time will tell.
The TSA quickly took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to tout the record. Lisa Farbstein, TSA spokesperson, tweeted: BREAKING NEWS: If you flew yesterday, congratulations, you were part of a record-setting day!
@TSA officers screened more people at airport security checkpoints nationwide yesterday (May 24th) than any other day in our 22-year history—2,951,163 individuals were screened!
BREAKING NEWS: If you flew yesterday, congratulations, you were part of a record-setting day! @TSA officers screened more people at airport security checkpoints nationwide yesterday (May 24th) than any other day in our 22-year history—2,951,163 individuals were screened! https://t.co/FGKq7N4WAL
— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) May 25, 2024
The TSA also shared a graphic of the Top 10 Busiest Travel Days along, with some advice: BREAKING NEWS: TSA Officers have set a new record for most travelers screened in a single day! On Friday, May 24, 2,951,163 individuals were screened at checkpoints nationwide, surpassing the previous record on Nov. 26, 2023. We recommend arriving early. Have travel questions? For LIVE assistance, message @AskTSA
or text TRAVEL to (275-872).
A lot of people don’t realize that the TSA does an excellent job answering questions on social media. You can find out what is and is not allowed usually within 10 minutes if you send them a question during office hours. Here’s how it works.
And if you’re traveling soon, here are 10 airport security hacks every traveler needs to know.
KEEP READING
–How To Make Sure the TSA PreCheck Checkmark is On Your Boarding Pass
–Did You Know Your Electronic Devices Should Always Be Charged When Going Through Security?
–10 Airport Security Hacks Every Traveler Needs to Know
–Mom Shares Hilarious Reason She’s Not Getting TSA PreCheck Anytime Soon
–How to Get a Full Bottle of Water Through Airport Security
Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.
I did fly yesterday; two routes. Only one TSA checkpoint though. Came from Athens on first leg. Nice to be part of history if only for a short while