Thursday, August 22, 2024 The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is set to screen over 17 million travelers during the upcoming Labor Day travel period, anticipated to be the busiest on record. Spanning from Thursday, August 29 to Wednesday, September 4, the peak travel day is expected on August 30, with TSA projecting to screen 2.86 million passengers.
Air travel volumes this summer have reached unprecedented levels for the agency, marking the highest in its history. The agency anticipates an 8.5 percent increase in passenger volumes compared to the same period last year and has already screened 239.
8 million people since Memorial Day weekend, averaging 2.7 million passengers per day. Remarkably, the ten busiest travel days in the agency’s history have all occurred since May 2024.
A new milestone was achieved on July 7, when Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) screened over 3 million travelers in a single day. “People are traveling more than ever this summer and TSA along with our airline and airport partners stand ready to close the busiest summer travel period on record during this upcoming Labor Day weekend,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske . “I commend our vigilant workforce, from our TSOs on the front lines at airport security checkpoints across the country to those behind the scenes, working hard to keep the transportation system secure—especially as we continue to roll out new checkpoint technology that improves security effectiveness, efficiency, and the passenger experience.
” The TSA is fully staffed to uphold its wait time standards, aiming for 10 minutes or less in TSA PreCheck® lanes and 30 minutes or less in standard screening lanes. Given the surge in travel volumes, TSA encourages passengers to make their journey smoother by enrolling in the TSA PreCheck Trusted Traveler Program. Members of this program enjoy expedited screening without the need to remove shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, food items, and light jackets at the checkpoint.
It’s important for TSA PreCheck members to ensure their Known Traveler Number (KTN) is included in their airline reservation so it appears on their boarding pass. The REAL ID requirement will take effect in less than nine months, starting on May 7, 2025. Airline passengers will soon need a REAL ID-compliant form of identification to fly.
If their driver’s license is not REAL ID-compliant, they must present another acceptable form of identification, such as a U.S. passport.
REAL ID-compliant licenses and ID cards are marked with a small star in the upper right corner, indicating they meet federal regulations for minimum security standards..
