TSA sees most airline passengers since start of pandemic as Thanksgiving travel kicks off

For weeks, officials have been forecasting a rise in the number of holiday travelers this year. On Friday, their predictions were proven correct — the Transportation Security Administration reported a record number of flyers since the pandemic began in early 2020. 

"@TSA officers screened 2,242,956 people at airport security checkpoints nationwide yesterday, Friday, Nov. 19," TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein tweeted Saturday morning. "It's the highest checkpoint volume since passenger volume tanked in early 2020 as a result of the pandemic. The Thanksgiving travel period has begun! #MaskUp"

With Thanksgiving just days away, the number of travelers is expected to continue to climb. Last week, experts predicted holiday travel could be up as much as 80% over last year, when COVID-19 kept many people at home.