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Dec 24, 2020 - Economy & Business

TSA screens close to a pre-lockdown high of nearly 1.2 million people

Jacob Knutson
Travelers waiting in line to check in for a flight at Los Angeles International Airport on Dec. 22.
Travelers waiting to check in for a flight at Los Angeles International Airport on Dec. 22. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The Transportation Security Administration screened 1,191,123 people at airport checkpoints around the United States on Wednesday, according to Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokesperson.

Why it matters: It's the largest recorded number since before the COVID-19 pandemic and signals that more people are traveling for the holidays despite CDC warnings to stay home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The big picture: On March 16, before the start of the pandemic in the United States, TSA screened 1,257,823 people.

  • It screened 1,176,091 people at checkpoints on the Sunday after Thanksgiving this year.

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