US airports see their busiest travel day ever in runup to Memorial Day

A record 2.95 million people passed through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints on Friday, during Memorial Day weekend, setting a new U.S. record for the most screenings in a single day.

The TSA reported that five of the top ten all-time travel days occurred around the Memorial Day weekend, leaving just two dates on the big board associated with either Christmas or Thanksgiving Day travel.

Airports around the country reported beating their previous records, including Atlanta’s Hartfield-Jackson International Airport, which reported 111,000 people passed through security checkpoints, beating the greatest count set during Super Bowl LIII in 2019.

“Holiday travel periods are always somewhat hectic, but our officers remain focused on their mission, and they continue to do so in an efficient and courteous manner to ensure that travelers get to their destinations safely,” Robin Burke, TSA director at Richmond International Airport, said in a statement.

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The country’s previous busiest travel date was the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2023, with an estimated 2,908,785 screenings.

A survey from AAA found more Americans plan to take a vacation over the summer than during any other season in 2024.

Popular destinations include beaches, national parks and international cities.

A record 4.7 billion people are expected to travel around the world in 2024, but many of the busiest days are expected to fall outside of what is traditionally considered the winter holiday travel season.

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The TSA recommends passengers arrive at the airport at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours prior to any international excursions.

In March, the agency announced the expansion of its PreCheck program, which allows select fliers to use its expedited screening process at more than 200 airports.

Security officials estimate 99% of passengers enrolled in the PreCheck program wait less than 10 minutes at airport checkpoints.

“The most important things that travelers can do is to get to the airport early and come prepared to go through the checkpoint screening process,” Burke stated.