Jan 3, 2025 - Transit
Air travel is busier than ever
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What initially seemed like a release of pent-up demand for air travel immediately following the worst of COVID-19 now looks like a never-ending climb.
Driving the news: Record numbers of travelers are taking to the skies this year, according to the latest TSA data.
- Nearly 3.1 million people passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on Dec. 1 (the Sunday after Thanksgiving) — an all-time agency high.
- 2024's numbers have consistently been above those of 2023, just as 2023's figures were above those of 2022, and so on.
Zoom in: Portland International Airport's traveler traffic hasn't been immune to this trend.
- PDX is expecting a 5% bump in fiscal year 2025, which ends in June, over the previous year, according to Allison Ferre, a spokeswoman for the Port of Portland.
- The latest numbers, through mid-December, show a 5.5% increase in year-over-year growth, with a forecasted 10% jump in holiday travel, Ferre told Axios.
Between the lines: This huge demand is partly why aviation leaders like United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby have been calling for more air traffic controllers and other improvements.