WASHINGTON – During the Independence Day holiday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 11.3 million travelers from June 30 through and including Monday, July 4. The weekend travel volume represents 93% of volume for the same 5-day pre-pandemic holiday period in 2019.
Friday, July 1, was the busiest air travel day of the weekend, with TSA screening 2.49 million individuals, which narrowly surpassed the previous post-pandemic high of 2.46 million travelers screened on Friday, June 26, 2022. Over the course of the long weekend, 95% of TSA PreCheck® passengers waited less than 5 minutes. About 92% of those passengers in standard screening lanes waited less than 15 minutes.
As the volume of airline passengers returning to the skies continues to climb, Transportation Security Officers have already prevented more than 3,000 firearms from entering aircraft passenger cabins this year. On average, TSA stopped 17 firearms each day at checkpoints since the beginning of the year. If that pace continues, firearm catches will eclipse the current full year-record of 5,972 firearms intercepted at the nation’s checkpoints in 2021.
“This holiday weekend, our highly trained and professional workforce screened and facilitated secure travel for over 11 million people – close to the 2019 passenger volume, before the pandemic. We expect the summer travel season to remain busy, and we encourage passengers to arrive at the airport in plenty of time to park, check-in, check bags, get through the checkpoint with identification in hand and get to their gates in time for boarding,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
For those who have not already done so, it is never too late to enroll in TSA PreCheck. The popular expedited screening program allows travelers to leave on shoes, jackets, and belts, and enables them to keep their electronics and 3-1-1 liquids in their carry-on bags. Thanks to these benefits, TSA PreCheck lanes move faster and more efficiently than regular lanes.
As travelers prepare to embark on a trip, they may submit questions about TSA checkpoint procedures via Twitter at @AskTSA or via Facebook Messenger to a team of TSA employees who provide real-time responses on average within five minutes from 8am-6pm daily, including weekends and holidays.
Passengers or families of passengers with disabilities and/or medical conditions may call the TSA Cares helpline toll free at 855-787-2227 at least 72 hours prior to flying with any questions about screening policies, procedures, or to find out what to expect at the security checkpoint as well as arrange for assistance at the checkpoint.
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