Los Angeles International Airport broke a 2021 record for passenger traffic Friday, with more than 78,000 travelers going through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints, the airport announced.
Memorial Day weekend, which marks the unofficial start of summer travel, is typically a busy one, according to airport officials. This year, the holiday comes as the region continues to unwind coronavirus restrictions and many people are eager to get out again.
"We are seeing passenger numbers rise quickly as the demand for air travel surges across the U.S.," Justin Erbacci, chief executive officer of Los Angeles World Airports, said in a statement, "so we want to make sure our guests know they will be returning to an airport that is bustling with travelers and at times experiencing heavy traffic."
May has been the busiest month for LAX since early 2020, with about 61,400 passengers at TSA checkpoints each day, Los Angeles World Airports said in a news release. Although that's only 53% of the daily passenger traffic seen during the same period in 2019, it's been increasing each week, said the agency, which owns and operates Los Angeles International and Van Nuys airports.
Before Friday, 2021's busiest day for passenger traffic was May 23, when 74,881 passengers passed through TSA checkpoints, representing about 70% of the traffic seen during the same time in 2019, according to LAWA.
The airport parking garages have been particularly busy in the mornings, and officials warned they might fill up over the holiday weekend. Travelers were advised to arrive at least two hours before flight departure — three hours for an international flight — to account for delays caused by the congestion, as well as ongoing airport construction.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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