(NewsNation) — The Transportation Security Administration screened just over 2.9 million travelers at airports nationwide on Sunday, reaching an agency record of the busiest day ever for air travel.
“My sincere appreciation to our TSA employees who worked diligently during the Thanksgiving weekend. Officers screened over 2.9M passengers at airport security checkpoints yesterday – the most ever screened on record. Thank you for always being vigilant & focused on our mission,” TSA administrator David P. Pekoske posted on social media.
The agency had previously projected it would hit that number as it prepared for the busy holiday travel season.
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AAA predicted more than 55 million people would travel over the holiday weekend, which estimated more than 4 million air travelers and over 49 million people who hit the roads. An agency official told the New York Post that TSA agents screened just over 4.8 million passengers in the two days after Thanksgiving.
Despite hitting records as the busiest air travel day, airports were able to keep up with the demand of holiday passengers with minor delays and cancellations — even with winter weather advisories threatening the Midwest and Great Lakes region.
But while millions made the trip back home Sunday, many of them are planning to hop back on a plane again in about three weeks for the Christmas holiday.