More than 3 million people passed through U.S. airport security last Sunday, setting a new record for a single day.
The increase in travel was widely predicted to happen over the July Fourth holiday weekend and has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with eight of the 10 busiest days in TSA’s history occurring this year.
The big picture: The TSA, part of the Department of Homeland Security, checked an average of 35 passengers per second on the record-breaking day.
- Despite concerns about inflation, travel costs including airline tickets and hotel prices have eased compared to a year ago, with hotel rooms being 1.2% cheaper in May.
- While most U.S. airlines experienced losses in the first quarter, they anticipate a summer of full planes and are expecting solid second quarter profits, with analysts predicting increased revenue compared to the same period a year ago.
- The surge in travel has led to an increase in complaints to the Transportation Department, with nearly 97,000 complaints in 2023, the highest since 2020 when airlines faced challenges in providing refunds during the pandemic shutdown.
