December 21, 2023
Today will be one of three of the busiest holiday travel days at airports across the country. So you’re going to need to brace yourself because – people.
According to TSA — airport holiday travel season starts today and runs through January 2nd. And the three busiest days are today, Friday December 29th and Monday January 1st. TSA is expects to screen more than 2.5 million passengers on each of those days. 2.5 million –times three – plus all the other holiday travel days!!!! That’s a lot…and TSA knows it – because it’s a 6% increase over last year.
Now – things won’t be as crazy at the airports as they were during the 12-day Thanksgiving travel season – which broke the record for most passengers screened in a single day this year. That record happened just a few weeks ago on November 26 when TSA screened 2.9 million passengers at security checkpoints nationwide in one day.
So how can you make your airport travel as seamless as possible?
The TSA gives 10 suggestions. I’m going to highlight three.
The TSA says if you’re traveling with gifts – make sure they are unwrapped and can be inspected if need be. You’d probably hate to put in all that effort to wrap a gift only to have to tear it open in the security line so TSA can check it.
They also suggest when you’re packing make sure you start with an empty bag that way you don’t accidentally pack banned items like pocket knives or flammable items.
Speaking of what you can pack – make sure you remember there is a limitation for the amount of liquid you can carry on a plane. You can bring 3.4 ounces or less per container in 1 quart size, clear, plastic, zip top bag in which all liquids must fit in bag. There is only 1 bag per passenger allowed . You can obviously bring solid foods like cakes and other baked goods but if you are bringing your homemade jam it falls into the 3.4 ounce rule. The t-s-a says if you can spill it, spread it, pump it or pour it then it’s subject to the 3.4 ounce rule.
Read the holiday travel tips from TSA here.
