The Transportation Security Administration is expecting a record breaking number of flyers this Thanksgiving holiday travel period with more than 26.8 million passengers traveling through security screening checkpoints nationwide Nov. 22 through Dec. 2. TSA officials are prepared to process the volume of passengers at airport security checkpoints, working closely with airports and airlines to project numbers and peak periods, but travelers should still be ready. The busiest travel days leading up to Thanksgiving will be tomorrow, November 27, the day before the holiday, with 2.7 million passengers and crew expected. December 1, the Sunday after Thanksgiving could be equally as busy when more than 2.8 million travelers are expected to be flying home. On a typical weekday, TSA screens about 2.1 million passengers. TSA says the best way to ensure a quick trip through the security screening process is to arrive early and be prepared. Passenger preparedness can have a significant impact on wait times at security checkpoints nationwide. Travelers are encouraged to allow time to park their cars or return rental cars, check their bags with their airline, and get their boarding passes, all before heading to the security checkpoint. TSA recommends getting to the terminal at least two hours early for domestic travel and at least three hours for international travel.
