As Christmas nears, travel across the United States may reach new records. The TSA is preparing to screen over 44 million passengers between Friday, December 19, to Sunday, January 4. Given that the TSA screened slightly under 39 million passengers during the holidays in 2024, this represents a sizeable increase. This will break the TSA passenger record that was set just the year prior.
Of course, while the increase in passengers is good for airlines, this also brings the potential of travel delays and disruptions. The TSA has to ensure that checkpoints are adequately staffed to meet passenger demand, and the high number of flights will cause further stress on an air traffic control system that’s already overstressed. As such, the TSA and FAA will need to be diligent to ensure that the upcoming travel period doesn’t overwhelm airports.
More Passengers Than Ever At US Airports
The TSA is anticipating that 44.3 million passengers will pass through its checkpoints between December 19 and January 4. It expects that Sunday, December 28, will be the busiest day of the period, with a projected 2.86 million passengers. In 2024, the busiest day of the holiday period was Friday, December 27, when the TSA screened just under 2.85 million passengers.
In order, it’s expected that the busiest days of the period will be December 28, followed by December 19, December 20, December 21, December 27, and December 29. While the TSA’s operations will have a major impact on whether this period will see any major travel disruptions, the agency appears confident that it’s ready to accommodate the high passenger volumes.
In the agency announcement, TSA Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Administrator, Adam Stahl, stated,
“TSA expects 2025 to be another record setter following major improvements this year to make airport security more seamless and secure… DHS Secretary Noem implemented REAL ID, launched family and military lanes, and ended the shoes off requirement. We continue to enhance the traveler experience by deploying new technologies and procedures that help us meet President Trump’s vision of a Golden Age of Travel.”
Making Airport Security Easier In The US
Airport security in the United States is notorious for being time-consuming, invasive, and generally unpleasant. However, 2025 saw the TSA introduce several changes that are meant to make security checkpoints quicker and easier for passengers. In addition, there have also been changes to strengthen the agency’s identity verification processes.
In May, the TSA began requiring US citizens to present Real IDs for domestic flights. Passengers who lack a Real ID have an option to pay $45 to use an alternative identity verification system. The TSA has added new TSA PreCheck benefits for uniformed servicemen and family members, along with a new offer to discount a TSA PreCheck membership for individuals who purchase two.
Perhaps most notably, the TSA has ended the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes at checkpoints, greatly speeding up screening times and making checkpoints more convenient. In addition, the TSA is introducing family lanes at select airports and launching a new hospitality campaign targeted at families. As a whole, airport security has become more efficient this year than in the past.
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Challenges Ahead For The Holiday Season
While the TSA is stating that it is prepared to accommodate the high passenger levels, it will still need to screen more people than it ever has in history. Staffing will need to be managed well, or else lines can quickly back up and cause people to miss their flights. In addition, a technical issue with TSA software can lead to even more disruption for passengers, especially at busy airports.
The other major challenge ahead is the air traffic control system. ATC towers are notoriously understaffed, and an airport that has to reduce flight capacity due to staffing shortages can cause delays and cancellations across an airline’s entire network. One also has to take into consideration weather impacts, particularly in the Northeast region which features a high concentration of flights and frequent severe weather.
