TSA passenger screening numbers continue to inch up as holiday travel season begins
Transportation Security Administration screening numbers are continuing to march closer to 2019 levels as the agency embarks on what's expected to be a busy holiday season.
Through Sunday, Nov. 21, November passenger screenings were at 83% of their month-to-date totals from 2019, and 228% of the totals from 2020. That's an increase from October, when total screenings were at 79% of 2019 levels and 222% of 2020 levels.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, TSA screening data has become a widely used metric to gauge the levels at which passengers are returning to the skies.
Even before the holiday travel season began this past weekend, November was bound to be a busier month. On Nov. 8, the U.S. reopened its borders to international travelers from all countries, increasing the number of travelers going through TSA checkpoints as they return to their home countries.
The TSA expects to screen 20 million passengers during the Thanksgiving travel period, which for the agency runs between Friday, Nov. 19, and Sunday, Nov. 28. The agency's busiest-ever day was the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019, when nearly 2.9 million passengers were screened. While the TSA does not expect to see that number this year, it is urging travelers to arrive at the airport early and to be patient.
Additionally, United Airlines said last week that it expects to fly more than 4.5 million passengers during its Thanksgiving travel period (Nov. 19-30), which is approximately 88% of its 2019 volume. Delta Air Lines projects 5.6 million passengers during the same period, or nearly three times as many passengers as 2020.
Enrolling in TSA PreCheck and joining Clear can significantly alleviate the headaches associated with long lines at TSA checkpoints.
More: Why you should get TSA PreCheck and Clear — and how you can save on both
Separately on Monday, the TSA announced that approximately 93% of its employees were in compliance with the Biden administration's federal employee vaccination mandate, which has a deadline of today.
"The employee vaccine mandate will not impact holiday travel," agency spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said in a tweet. Previously, there were some concerns that the vaccination mandate could cause a staffing shortage at the TSA.
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
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Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month