On Friday, 11 June, the USA’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 2,028,961 people at airport security checkpoints. This date marked the first time that more than two million individuals were screened in a single day since March 2020. This figure represents 74% of travel volume versus the same day in 2019, and 1.5 million more travellers than the same day in 2020.
“The growing number of travellers demonstrates this country’s resilience and the high level of confidence in Covid-19 counter measures, to include ready access to vaccines,” said Darby LaJoye, the senior official performing the duties of the TSA Administrator. “TSA stands ready to provide a safe and secure screening process as part of the overall travel experience.”
Prior to the pandemic, TSA screened, on average, 2 to 2.5 million travellers per day. The lowest screening volume was on 13 April, 2020, when just 87,534 individuals were screened at airport security checkpoints. By mid-May 2021, the TSA’s average daily volume for screenings was approximately 65% of pre-pandemic levels. As the busy summer season approaches, TSA advises passengers to arrive at the airport with sufficient time to accommodate increased screening times as traveller volumes approach, and in some cases surpass, pre-pandemic levels at certain airports.
A mask mandate remains in place through 13 September for all passengers on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation travelling into, within, or out of the United States, and in US transportation hubs such as airports and stations.