TSA by the numbers: passenger volume down 90% in coronavirus slump
We all know by now that demand for air travel has fallen off a cliff since the beginning of the month.
Some airlines have put a temporary stop to flights altogether. Others have cut their networks by up to 90% — or more.
Partly, this drop can be seen as a way to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic as people opt not to travel in an effort to stay healthy. But it's also a necessary business move by carriers. Some countries have prohibited discretionary travel.
Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more airline news.
How dramatic has the decline in demand been? Just look at data from the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA screenings may not be a beloved part of U.S. air travel, but they're a requirement whether you like it or not. Everyone from guests in Etihad's Residence to the passenger about to occupy seat 26E on the next Spirit Airlines flight has to pass by the administration's blue-shirted sentries on their way out of any American airport.
Those agents are now less busy than they have been in a decade.
According to Lisa Farbstein, a spokeswoman for the TSA, the administration's employees screened only 203,858 passengers across the entire country on March 26. That was a drop of nearly 90% compared to the nearly 2,487,162 people screened by the TSA on the same date in 2019.
Farbstein said on Twitter that it represented the agency's lowest number of single-day screenings since 2010, when the country was emerging from the Great Recession.
In the seven-day period that started March 13, TSA agents saw screenings decrease by more than 100,000 passengers each day. That period included passing the less-than-a-million screenings threshold on March 17, compared to more than 2 million on the same weekday in 2019.
Related: Airport operations are shifting during coronavirus slump.
Then the free fall picked up steam. Screenings fell to less than half a million by March 22 and continued to trail off quickly every day since. It took only four days to drop again from 454,516 passengers screened on Sunday to the new record-low number on Thursday, March 26. The TSA's latest screening data can be found on its website.
Across the travel industry, the sudden evaporation of demand has changed the way companies do business, operating fewer flights and likely changing the long-term landscape of the airline business.
U.S. airlines are waiting on a $50 billion aid package, expected to be signed into law imminently, but even that isn't going to provide a boost in demand for travel. It's just meant to keep airlines and their employees afloat for a few months as they try to ride out the slump.
Related: 5 key elements of the airline aid package.
In the meantime, the game of traveler screening limbo will continue. We may actually find out the answer to the question: "how low can you go?"
Read more: What the airline aid package means for travelers.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.