TSA breaks record for most people screened on a single day, expects to break it again soon

The Transportation Security Administration set a new record for the most individuals screened in one day by processing 2,996,495 on Sunday.

More than 3 million Americans are expected at the nation’s airports this upcoming Friday, which would break the single-day passenger record once again, the TSA said.

The new record reflects a jump in seasonal travel, with seven of the 10 busiest days in TSA history coming in the past month.

TSA Administrator David Pekoske said he expects the traffic at airports to only get heavier.

“We expect this summer to be our busiest ever and summer travel usually peaks over the Independence Day holiday,” he said. “The traveling public is on the move, which is a sign of a healthy economy. We are ready, along with our airline and airport partners, to handle this boost in passenger volumes.”

Before Sunday’s record-breaking screening volume, the previous single-day record of 2,951,859 was set on May 24 and the current third-place tally of 2,942,351 was set on Monday.

The fourth and fifth-place tallies were set on June 14 and June 9, respectively, the seventh-place tally was set on May 23, and the tenth-place tally was set this past Friday.

The TSA predicts that it will screen more than 32 million people in a 10-day stretch beginning Thursday, which would represent a 5.4% increase in passengers compared to the same period in 2023.

Over the summer, American air carriers are planning to fly more than 26,000 flights, an increase of 5.6% compared to 2023, industry group Airlines for America told Reuters.