TSA Records Busiest Day Ever With Over 3 Million Travelers
Skift Take
Key Points
- The TSA recorded its busiest day ever on December 1, screening over 3.08 million travelers.
- Thanksgiving travel in 2024 saw record numbers, with major airlines experiencing significant passenger volumes.
- Airlines anticipate continued growth in 2025, driven by strong demand for international and premium travel.
Summary
The TSA experienced its busiest day ever on December 1, 2024, screening over 3.08 million travelers, marking a record-breaking Thanksgiving travel period. Major airlines, such as American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, witnessed substantial passenger volumes, expecting continued growth into 2025 fueled by high demand for international and premium travel. The Skift Travel 200 index provides insights into the financial performance of the airline sector, reflecting these industry trends.
The TSA announced that December 1 was the busiest day in its history with more than 3.08 million people screened at airports nationwide.
It caps off another record-breaking Thanksgiving for the airline sector. The agency was already estimating to screen around 18.3 million people between November 26 and December 2.
Airlines for America (A4A), the trade group that represents most major U.S. carriers, said the industry was expecting to fly a total of 31 million passengers over the Thanksgiving travel period (November 22 to December 2) — an all-time high. In 2019, around 28 million people flew during that same period, according to A4A estimates.
BREAKING NEWS: Yesterday, December 1st was the busiest day ever for TSA – our officers screened 3.087M individuals at airports nationwide. If you're still traveling home from the Thanksgiving holiday, please arrive at the airport early. Contact @AskTSA with any travel questions. pic.twitter.com/lhzGYb2Gw6
— TSA (@TSA) December 2, 2024
American Airlines said it was expecting to serve around 8.3 million customers from November 21 and December 3. Delta Air Lines said it was anticipating to fly 540,000 travelers daily over a 12-day period, a 5% increase from last year.
High demand for international travel and premium seating has sustained much of the industry since the pandemic. All 10 of the TSA’s busiest days on record happened in 2024. The second-ever busiest day for the agency was July 7, when it screened 3.01 million passengers.
Airlines are betting that these trends will continue into 2025. During Delta’s investor day, executives said they expected an increase in revenues, fueled by a strong economy and continued demand for premium and international travel.
Airlines Sector Stock Index Performance Year-to-Date
What am I looking at? The performance of airline sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including network carriers, low-cost carriers, and other related companies.
The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more airlines sector financial performance.
Photo Credit: Passengers traveling through Newark Airport near New York City. Skift
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