During the first nine months of 2024, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted 5,028 firearms at airport security checkpoints, 93 percent of which were loaded.
This is an average of 18.3 firearms detected daily. During the first three quarters of 2024, transportation security officers screened more than 678 million passengers, a nearly 6.3 percent increase from the same period of 2023.
During the July-September quarter, the average was 7.5 firearms per 1 million passengers, a decrease from the same period in 2023 when the rate was 8.1 firearms per 1 million passengers.
“Each firearm brought to a checkpoint, whether by accident or on purpose, presents a threat to other passengers and our employees, and causes delays for the traveler with the firearm,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said. “Passengers who travel with a firearm must store it unloaded in a locked, hard-sided case, place it in their checked bag, and declare it to the airline at the airline ticket counter. We cannot stress enough the importance of ensuring firearms are secured properly in the passenger’s checked bag and never brought to the security checkpoint.”
TSA encourages airline passengers learn the proper packing procedures fore firearms.
Firearms are prohibited in the passenger cabin of an aircraft and the secure area of an airport.