WASHINGTON, USA – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened nearly 10.4 million travellers at the nation’s airport security checkpoints from Friday through Monday of the Labor Day holiday weekend, with Friday marking one of the busiest days in TSA history. This represents about a 3.3 percent jump over the same four-day period in 2024.
On Friday, Aug. 29, TSA screened 2,971,217 passengers, the highest volume ever for the Friday before Labor Day and the 15th busiest single day in the agency’s nearly 24-year history. Of the top 10 busiest travel days, eight have been reported since May 23, with the agency on pace to break an all-time annual passenger volume record this year.
“As air travel continues to reach record high trajectories, TSA is fully prepared to meet the growing demand by maintaining a close partnership with our aviation industry partners,” said TSA acting deputy administrator Adam Stahl. “Thanks to Homeland Security Secretary Noem’s leadership, this was a summer of remarkable change at TSA, as we focused on enhancing the traveller experience while continuing to strengthen our security posture. We’re happy to see passengers are taking notice, and we look forward to continuing to implement president Trump’s vision for a new Golden Age of American travel.”
Here are a few of the historical new policies TSA unveiled this summer:
- TSA ended the “Shoes-Off” policy, allowing passengers traveling through domestic airports to keep their shoes on while passing through security screening at TSA checkpoints, an effort to increase hospitality for travelers and streamline the screening process.
- In partnership with TSA PreCheck® enrollment providers – CLEAR, IDEMIA, and Telos – TSA unveiled the “Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease” program, which provides dedicated screening lanes for military members at select airports, free TSA PreCheck for those who lost a family member in military service, and a discount on TSA PreCheck enrollment for military spouses.
- TSA’s new “Families on the Fly” initiative, which took effect in July, provides dedicated family lanes at select airports to ease some of the stress for traveling families. These benefits also include discounted TSA PreCheck for family members and dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes for service members traveling with spouses and children.
TSA offers these tips for all flyers as they return home from their holiday travel:
- Pack smart: Ensure your carry-on bags are organized and comply with TSA regulations. Start with an empty bag and search the list of prohibited items before heading to the airport. If not sure, text 275-872 (“AskTSA”) or @AskTSA.
- Have valid ID: Bring your REAL ID, passport, or other acceptable form of identification and have it out to show the TSA officer at the checkpoint entrance. Travelers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID-compliant and who do not have another acceptable form of ID will be notified of their non-compliance and may be directed to a separate area for additional screening.
- Enroll in TSA PreCheck: Children 17 and under can join an adult with TSA PreCheck when TSA PreCheck appears on the child’s boarding pass.
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