TSA Screens Record 10.4 Million Travelers Over Labor Day Weekend

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported screening a record 10.4 million travelers over the Labor Day weekend, marking a 3.3 percent increase from the previous year and making the Friday before Labor Day the 15th busiest day in TSA history with nearly 3 million passengers processed. This surge continues a trend of increasing air travel demand, with eight of the ten busiest TSA days occurring since May 2023, putting the agency on track to break its all-time annual passenger volume record. To accommodate the growing number of travelers while enhancing the passenger experience, TSA introduced several new initiatives this summer, including ending the shoes-off policy at domestic airport security checkpoints, which aims to speed up the screening process and improve comfort. Additionally, the TSA launched programs such as "Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease," offering free TSA PreCheck to families of fallen military members and discounts for military spouses, along with dedicated screening lanes for military personnel. The "Families on the Fly" initiative provides family lanes at select airports to ease travel stress for families, including discounted TSA PreCheck for family members and dedicated lanes for service members traveling with spouses and children. These changes reflect TSA's efforts to balance increased security with traveler convenience amid record-breaking passenger volumes.