Airport travel soared to new heights over the weekend, with the Transportation Security Administration saying agents screened the most individuals in a single day since the start of the pandemic. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Transportation Security Administration screened over 2.56 million individuals on Sunday, the most people screened in a single day since the start of the pandemic 

  • The previous high since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was July 1 of this year, when TSA screened 2.49 million individuals

  • The skyrocketing numbers reflect a country that appears largely ready to get back to normal, as screened passengers ticked closer to the 2019 total 

The Sunday following Thanksgiving saw over 2.56 million individuals screened by TSA, higher than both the 2021 total of 2.45 million and over double the 2020 total of 1.17 million, when the United States was still facing strict travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

The previous high since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was July 1 of this year, when TSA screened 2.49 million individuals, according to agency spokesperson Lisa Farbstein. 

The skyrocketing numbers reflect a country that appears largely ready to get back to normal, as screened passengers ticked closer to the 2019 total – an all-time high for the TSA – of 2.88 million. 

According to the Morning Consult, which has tracked Americans’ pandemic-related behaviors since April 2020, the number of respondents who felt comfortable flying domestically hovered around 53% at the end of October, the most recent date for which data is available. The amount of Americans who felt comfortable flying domestically since the start of the pandemic peaked in June at around 56%. 

Americans also felt safer going on vacation in general, with nearly three in four respondents saying they were very or somewhat comfortable in taking a holiday. 

Those sentiments translated into other forms of Thanksgiving travel. While the American Automobile Association has yet to release official numbers for this year’s travel, the agency predicted this season would be the third-busiest Thanksgiving travel week since 2000, following 2005 and 2019, respectively. 

“Families and friends are eager to spend time together this Thanksgiving, one of the busiest for travel in the past two decades,” Mary Maguire, vice president of Public and Government Affairs at AAA Northeast, said in part, adding that with loosened travel restrictions around the globe, “it’s no surprise buses, trains, and cruises are coming back in a big way.” 

Experts predict both Christmas and New Year’s travel will increase this year as well. According to a survey from The Vacationer, roughly 43% of adults anticipate traveling to a destination spot for the Christmas holiday, anticipating the busiest travel days will likely be Thursday, Dec. 22 and Friday, Dec. 23 as well as Monday, Dec. 26 and Tuesday, Dec. 27. 

People getting behind the wheel or boarding a plane don’t seem fazed by higher gasoline and airfare prices than last year or the widespread concern about inflation and the economy, contributing to predictions of strong travel over Christmas and New Year’s.

Changing habits around work and play, however, might spread out the crowds and reduce the usual amount of holiday travel stress. Experts say many people will start holiday trips early or return home later than normal because they will spend a few days working remotely — or at least tell the boss they’re working remotely.

“People are traveling on different days,” says Sharon Pinkerton, senior vice president at the trade group Airlines for America. “People are spreading their travel out throughout the week, which I also think will help ensure smoother operations.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.