The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 470,000 people at New England’s six largest airports from Dec. 18 to Jan. 3.
The average number of passengers screened during the 2020 holiday travel period was about 27,600 a day at New England’s top six airports, including Boston Logan International, Bradley International, T.F. Green, Portland Jetport, Manchester-Boston Regional, and Burlington International.
The busiest day was Sunday, Dec. 27, when nearly 36,000 travelers passed through TSA security checkpoints in New England.
At Boston Logan, New England’s busiest airport, TSA officers screened more than 329,000 passengers, an average of approximately 19,000 each day during the holiday travel period. The maximum wait time at Boston Logan security checkpoints was seven minutes.
“TSA officers worked long hours during the holiday period to ensure safe and secure holiday travel,” Bob Allison, TSA federal security director for Massachusetts and Maine, said. “Our checkpoints were fully staffed so passengers could quickly and safely get through security to get to and from their holiday destinations.”
TSA requires all officers to wear face masks and gloves while on duty. Face shields are required when there is no acrylic barrier in place. In addition, the agency will continue to disinfect frequently touched surfaces and encourage social distancing through signage. Further, when pat-downs are necessary, TSA officers must use a fresh pair of gloves. These protocols will continue.
A dedicated TSA COVID-19 page is updated daily to provide information on daily travel volume, employee infections by airport, travel tips, and general updates regarding TSA operations. Travelers should continue to check with the CDC for travel advisories as well as their airline and airport at their destinations regarding local COVID-19 guidelines.
Compared to the number of passengers screened this past holiday season, TSA screened more than 1.2 million passengers during the same period at New England’s six largest airports in New England in 2019. TSA anticipates that daily travel volumes will continue to rise steadily but remain well below pre-pandemic levels through most of 2021.