WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 10.4 million travelers over the Labor Day weekend, marking one of the busiest holiday travel periods in the agency’s history, officials said Tuesday.
The four-day total from Friday through Monday represented a 3.3% increase over the same weekend in 2024. Friday, Aug. 29, was especially heavy, with 2,971,217 passengers screened — the busiest Friday before Labor Day ever recorded and the 15th busiest single day in TSA’s 24-year history.
Of the 10 busiest days ever for passenger screenings, eight have been reported since late May, putting TSA on pace to surpass its all-time annual 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,” TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said in a statement.
The agency credited new policies rolled out this summer for helping smooth the screening process. Among them: ending the long-standing “shoes-off” policy for domestic travelers, launching family-designated security lanes under its “Families on the Fly” initiative, and expanding military benefits under the “Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease” program, which includes discounted TSA PreCheck enrollment for military spouses and free PreCheck for families of fallen service members.
Officials reminded travelers to pack smart, bring valid identification, and consider enrolling in TSA PreCheck to help speed screening. More information is available at TSA.gov.
