Hartsfield-Jackson Sets Single-Day Passenger Screening Record

June 1, 2017

The summer travel season is off to a busy start, as Memorial Day travel numbers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) broke a single-day record. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers screened 90,068 departing passengers May 26 at ATL, topping the prior record of 85,516 passengers screened March 31. ATL, the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, helped TSA and airlines screen 304,465 passengers in the four-day holiday period from May 25 to May 29. 

“We expected a busy holiday weekend and prepared accordingly,” said Airport General Manager Roosevelt Council, Jr. “As the most efficient airport in the world, we work with our partners to ensure our guests receive a safe, pleasant journey through Hartsfield-Jackson. The numbers associated with this weekend’s passenger traffic demonstrate our success providing a safe and efficient level of service.”

 “It was an all-hands-on-deck operation,” said Mary Leftridge Byrd, TSA federal security director for Hartsfield-Jackson. “The level of pride, commitment and teamwork displayed by our frontline employees — supported by civilian staff as well as those working behind the scenes during the record-breaking Memorial Day weekend — clearly demonstrates our priority to provide a safe and efficient security and screening experience.”

Despite the large number of passengers, TSA and ATL officials reported minimal wait times during the period. More than 87 percent of screened passengers spent less than 20 minutes in security queuing lines. TSA reports that 95 percent of PreCheck passengers spent less than five minutes in security lines. 

While ATL hosts more than 285,000 passengers daily, the 304,465 travelers over the holiday period represent the number of screened passengers only. Airport and airline officials are still finalizing travel numbers, but they expect to exceed 1 million passengers hosted during the four-day holiday period.