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.
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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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| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
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Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases