BREAKING: The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has just announced a record-breaking 3.13 million airline passengers were screened on Sunday, marking the highest single-day total ever recorded. This surge comes during the peak of the Thanksgiving travel season and occurred despite challenging weather conditions impacting the U.S. Midwest.
This explosive travel demand is unprecedented. The previous record was set on June 22, 2025, when 3.09 million passengers were screened in a single day. As more travelers take to the skies, the trade group Airlines for America forecasts that U.S. airlines will transport 31 million passengers over an 11-day period ending Monday.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) predicts over 360,000 flights during the nine days leading up to December 2, 2025—this is the highest number of flights in the past 15 years.
Before this year, the TSA had only screened more than 3 million passengers in a single day twice. However, in 2025 alone, it has already surpassed that milestone on eight separate occasions. Under the Biden administration, the TSA has expanded its workforce to nearly 60,000 employees to accommodate the increasing air travel demands, resulting in a record 904 million passengers screened in 2024—a 5% increase from 2023.
In a related note, several airlines, including JetBlue, are navigating a critical issue with their Airbus A320 aircraft. Following a recent mid-air incident, global regulators mandated a software retrofit to address vulnerabilities linked to solar flares. This has led JetBlue to cancel an additional 20 flights on Monday as they work to comply with the order.
Travelers should stay alert for further updates as the holiday rush continues. With record numbers of passengers and operational challenges, the situation remains dynamic. Expect significant developments as airlines and authorities respond to this unprecedented travel surge.
Stay tuned for the latest updates as we monitor the situation closely.
