Independence Day weekend travel exceeds projections, wait times minimal

ATLANTA – The summer travel season continues to exceed expectations as Independence Day passenger numbers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) broke a single-day record for the third time this year. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers screened 92,421 departing passengers Friday, June 30 at the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, topping the prior record of 90,068 passengers screened Friday, May 26, and the previous record of 85,516 passengers Friday, March 31. Even with the upsurge in passengers June 30, ATL officials and the TSA kept security screening wait times below 30 minutes throughout the day.

“Working with our partners, we’ve been able to consistently offer our customers an enjoyable and safe journey,” said Airport General Manager Roosevelt Council, Jr. “With proper planning, we were able to handle the large number of passengers traveling through Atlanta, and we fully expect such efficiency to continue.”

“The collaborative effort among partners continues to be the difference maker,” said Mary Leftridge Byrd, TSA federal security director for Hartsfield-Jackson. “I am gratified for the positive outcome over this holiday weekend. More than anything of course, the mutual priority is security and safety. My gratitude to TSA staff whose thoroughness and experience significantly contribute to the needed combination of security first balanced with a positive passenger experience.”

On the record-breaking Friday, TSA reported that 95 percent of passengers waited 20 minutes or less in standard screening lanes, and 100 percent of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes. 

While ATL hosts more than 280,000 passengers daily, the 92,421 passengers represent only a one-day screening total. Airport officials are still finalizing travel numbers, but they expect to exceed 1 million passengers hosted during the holiday period.