Sunday air travel set record: TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that Sunday set an agency-wide record for the busiest air travel day ever. 

More than 2.9 million people were screened at airports across the United States on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the TSA said on X, formerly Twitter, marking “the busiest day ever for air travel.”

The TSA also reminded customers to arrive at airports early amid the high demand for air travel during the holiday season.

Earlier this month, the TSA forecasted the holiday season could break records for air travel across the country. Sunday’s numbers were in line with TSA’s initial estimates from earlier this month, when the agency predicted 2.9 million people would pass through security checkpoints that day.

The number of airline passengers on Sunday broke the record from June 30 — when nearly 2.9 million people were screened at airports across the country.  This uptick in air travel comes after last year’s holiday season meltdown, when millions of passengers faced delays and cancellations amid the busiest time of the year for travel.

However, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said earlier this month that 2023 had seen the lowest rate of flight cancellations in the past five years, signaling optimism as the U.S. approached the holiday season.

“This year we are seeing more people flying than ever with fewer cancellations than we’ve seen in years and we’re investing to make sure it stays that way long term,” he said at the time.