A record-breaking number of travelers passed through airport security checkpoints in the United States on Friday, May 24, 2024. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened a total of 2,951,163 individuals at checkpoints nationwide, surpassing the previous record set on November 26, 2023. This marks the fifth time in May alone that TSA has recorded one of its top ten busiest days in history.
Five of the ten busiest-ever travel days have occurred since May 16, according to TSA data. The agency expects over 18 million airline travelers to pass through airport security checkpoints between Friday and next Wednesday, marking the start of the summer travel season.
Memorial Day weekend is also expected to break records on the roads. The American Automobile Association (AAA) warned of potentially unprecedented congestion on roads this weekend, along with airports that could be even more crowded than in years past. An estimated 43.8 million people across the United States are predicted to travel at least 50 miles from Thursday to Monday, marking a 4% increase in overall travel compared with 2023.
The TSA's Lisa Farbstein took to Twitter on Saturday to announce the record-breaking day, saying, “If you flew yesterday, congratulations, you were part of a record-setting day!”
Major U.S. airlines are also forecasting record summer travel with 271 million passengers expected between June 1 and August 31, up 6.3% from last year.
American Airlines expects a 10% increase in passengers and will boost flights by 10% this summer, while United Airlines forecasts handling three million travelers during the Memorial Day travel period. Delta Air Lines also expects a five percent jump in Memorial Day weekend customers to nearly three million customers between May 23-27.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is struggling to address a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers, which could impact summer travel plans. Some airlines have raised concerns about the lack of controllers and the potential for flight delays or cancellations.
