by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:15 AM ET, Fri November 15, 2019
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) revealed it expects a record-breaking number of travelers to take to the skies during the 2019 Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
TSA officials said an estimated 26.8 million airline passengers would travel through security screening checkpoints nationwide November 22 through December 2. As a result, the agency is making the necessary adjustments to handle the high volume of travelers.
In terms of the busiest days to travel, the Sunday after Thanksgiving (December 1) will be the most congested with an estimated 2.8 million passengers and crew expected to fly. The next busiest day will be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 27) with 2.7 million people taking to the sky.
On an average day, TSA officials screen about 2.1 million passengers.
"We expect record-breaking travel volume this 2019 holiday season, following our busiest summer ever," TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Patricia Cogswell said in a statement. "To plan for the season, partnerships with industry and stakeholders are critical to keep travelers moving safely and securely to holiday destinations. We want to ensure travelers are as best prepared as they can be."
The TSA's Airport Operations Center will be working around the clock to monitors security operations at checkpoints across the country and make any necessary changes as any needs or issues arise during the busy travel period.
To ensure a quick security screening process, TSA officials have provided a list of things to ensure a smooth start or conclusion to any trip, including packing smart and arriving at least two hours early for domestic travel and at least three hours for international travel.
In addition, AAA estimates that more than 55 million travelers will venture at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving, the most since 2005 and the second-highest number since AAA began tracking in 2000.
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