TSA warns of ‘surge’ in July 4 travelers creating chaos in airports with long waits and crowded flights

TSA is anticipating 32 million passengers will show up to airports around the country over the holiday

More than 32 million people are expected to pass through the nation’s airports during the July 4 holiday season (AP)

More than 30 million people are expected to pass through the nation’s airports during the Fourth of July holiday weekend and TSA is warning people to be prepared for the chaos.

Officials with the Transportation Security Administration are asking travelers to come to the airport early and be prepared for every step of the travel process. The busiest days to travel any week are Sunday and Monday, as well as Thursday and Friday—and this will be especially true in 2024 as July 4 lands on a Thursday.  

More than 32 million people are expected to fly between June 28 through July 8, which is a 5.4 percent increase over the same time period last year.

The peak travel day will be July 7 - at the end of the holiday weekend - when the agency expects to screen more than 3 million individuals at 434 airports. Twelve of the agency’s top 15 busiest travel days nationally have occurred since mid-May.

TSA says it will try to meet goal of having only 10-minute waits for its PreCheck lines and 30-minutes in standard airport security.

The peak travel day will be July 7 - at the end of the holiday weekend - when the TSA expects to screen more than 3 million individuals at 434 airports (Getty Images)

“We have been anticipating the arrival of the Fourth of July travel period and planning our security operations to ensure that we are prepared for the surge in travelers who will be coming to the airport,” TSA Federal Security Director for Colorado Douglas Cruz said.

“TSA will be on the job with security screening officers extending their shifts to ensure travelers have a smooth trip,”

“We are asking travelers to be good partners with TSA and ensure that they are prepared for the screening process. Please don’t bring prohibited items in your carry-on luggage and allow plenty of time for every step of the travel process.”

Travelers should be reminded that fireworks are not allowed in carry-on or checked baggage. Passengers are also asked to have boarding passes ready along with their photo ID.

At the Roanoke regional airport in Virginia, officials are warning people about the expected chaos to come with holiday travel.

“The check-in counters will be busier, the TSA screening, the parking lots, there’s a lot going on,” Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport public relations officer Alexa Briehl told WDBJ.

The airport in Louisville, Kentucky, expects a similar scene.

“We do expect it to be very busy,” Louisville airport spokeswoman Natalie Ciresi Chaudoin told WDBR. “It’s going to be pretty similar to what we saw last year, which was a record-setting year for us.”

AAA is projecting that 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from their homes over the Independence holiday travel season (Getty Images)

AAA is projecting that 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from their homes over the Independence holiday travel season, defined as a nine-day period, between June 29 and July 7.

“With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel.

“We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019.”