The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says it is prepared to screen a record-breaking 44.3 million passengers between December 19, 2025, and January 4, 2026—surpassing last year’s all-time high. The agency’s December 22 press release notes that the single busiest day is expected to be Sunday, December 28, when up to 2.86 million travelers could pass through U.S. checkpoints.
TSA attributes the surge to what the Trump administration has dubbed the “Golden Age of Travel,” citing this year’s elimination of the shoes-off rule, the rollout of family-friendly lanes, and aggressive expansion of CAT-X scanners that read IDs without the need to physically scan boarding passes. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has also accelerated REAL ID enforcement: beginning February 1, 2026, passengers lacking compliant identification must pay US$45 for the new “TSA ConfirmID” service or will be denied boarding.
From a corporate-mobility perspective, the numbers matter. More than one-third of December flyers are business travelers combining year-end meetings with holiday leave. Program managers should encourage employees to enroll in TSA PreCheck (currently offering a buy-one-get-one US$15 discount) and to build extra layover buffers, especially on December 26-29 when weather and volume historically cause cascading delays.
![TSA predicts 44 million flyers as holiday travel sets new record]()
Eager to make sure passports, visas, and other travel documents don’t become the weak link in an already hectic season? VisaHQ can expedite U.S. visa services, handle passport renewals, and provide real-time status updates for travelers and mobility teams alike—saving valuable time at the airport. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
Airports are also implementing new “Families on the Fly” lanes, which mobility teams should flag for relocating employees traveling with children or pets. Duty-of-care providers advise issuing pre-trip alerts about lithium battery bans and gift-wrapping restrictions to avoid secondary screening.
For travel suppliers, the unprecedented volumes translate into revenue opportunities—but also service risks. Airlines have been asked to staff additional customer-service agents at gates, and airport concessionaires are extending hours to manage demand spikes, underscoring the importance of robust contingency planning.
TSA attributes the surge to what the Trump administration has dubbed the “Golden Age of Travel,” citing this year’s elimination of the shoes-off rule, the rollout of family-friendly lanes, and aggressive expansion of CAT-X scanners that read IDs without the need to physically scan boarding passes. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has also accelerated REAL ID enforcement: beginning February 1, 2026, passengers lacking compliant identification must pay US$45 for the new “TSA ConfirmID” service or will be denied boarding.
From a corporate-mobility perspective, the numbers matter. More than one-third of December flyers are business travelers combining year-end meetings with holiday leave. Program managers should encourage employees to enroll in TSA PreCheck (currently offering a buy-one-get-one US$15 discount) and to build extra layover buffers, especially on December 26-29 when weather and volume historically cause cascading delays.
Eager to make sure passports, visas, and other travel documents don’t become the weak link in an already hectic season? VisaHQ can expedite U.S. visa services, handle passport renewals, and provide real-time status updates for travelers and mobility teams alike—saving valuable time at the airport. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
Airports are also implementing new “Families on the Fly” lanes, which mobility teams should flag for relocating employees traveling with children or pets. Duty-of-care providers advise issuing pre-trip alerts about lithium battery bans and gift-wrapping restrictions to avoid secondary screening.
For travel suppliers, the unprecedented volumes translate into revenue opportunities—but also service risks. Airlines have been asked to staff additional customer-service agents at gates, and airport concessionaires are extending hours to manage demand spikes, underscoring the importance of robust contingency planning.
