Nov 20, 2021 - Economy

TSA screens highest number of air travelers since start of pandemic

Kierra Frazier

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers screen passengers at O'Hare International Airport on November 08, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. — Transportation Security Administration workers screen passengers Nov. 8 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 2.24 million airline passengers on Friday, marking the highest number of air travelers since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Why it matters: The milestone comes after experts anticipated significantly more people would travel this holiday season.

The big picture: TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein tweeted Saturday that Friday's screening numbers were the "highest checkpoint volume since passenger volume tanked in early 2020."

TSA had anticipated the rise in screenings and announced earlier this week that it expected to screen about 20 million air passengers during the Thanksgiving travel period.
Last Thanksgiving, TSA screened 1,176,091 people at checkpoints in the United States.

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TSA screens highest number of air travelers since start of pandemic

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