The Transportation Security Administration announced Saturday that records were broken for the number of air travelers screened at U.S. airports ahead of Memorial Day weekend. RELATED: 44 million people expected to travel over Memorial Day weekend More than 2.9 million travelers were screened at U.S. airports on Friday, according to the Transportation Security Administration, surpassing the previous record set the Sunday after Thanksgiving last year. “Officials set a record for the most travelers screened in a single day!” the Transportation Security Administration tweeted. “We encourage you to arrive early.” The third busiest day on record was Thursday, with just under 2.9 million travelers screened at U.S. airports. In Atlanta, the world's busiest airport had its busiest day ever. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport broke traffic records on Thursday, with 111,000 passengers, airline crew and airport employees screened at security checkpoints. The second busiest day was Friday, with 109,960 people screened, according to the Transportation Security Administration. According to the Airports Council International, Atlanta airport counted 104.6 million passengers last year, making it the world's busiest airport. U.S. airlines expect to transport record numbers of passengers this summer. The AAA trade group estimates that 271 million travelers will travel by air between June 1 and August 31, breaking last summer's record of 255 million. AAA expects this weekend to be the busiest opening weekend of summer in two decades, with 43.8 million people expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday and Monday, 38 million of whom will travel by car. The annual longing to travel that accompanies the start of the summer travel season comes at a time when Americans say they are concerned in polls about the economy and the direction of the country. Memorial Day, which for many years has been celebrated annually on May 30 to commemorate American soldiers who died in battle, was officially made a federal holiday in 1971 and is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.Jason Redman, a former Navy SEAL who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, told The Associated Press last year that he remembers his fallen friends by having 30 names tattooed on his arm, “everyone that I knew personally who died.” Related article: What to do in Central Florida this Memorial Day weekend
The Transportation Security Administration said Saturday that the number of air travelers screened at U.S. airports broke records ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.
RELATED: 44 million people expected to travel over Memorial Day weekend
More than 2.9 million travelers were screened at U.S. airports on Friday, surpassing the previous record set the Sunday after Thanksgiving last year, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
“Officers set a record for most travelers screened in a single day!,” TSA tweeted. “We encourage you to arrive early.”
Nearly 2.9 million travelers were screened at U.S. airports on Thursday, making it the third-busiest day on record.
In Atlanta, the world's busiest airport saw its busiest day ever. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport broke a traffic record on Thursday, with 111,000 passengers, airline crew and airport employees screened through security. The second-busiest day was Friday, when 109,960 people were screened, according to the TSA.
According to the Airports Council International, Atlanta airport handled 104.6 million passengers last year, making it the world's busiest.
U.S. airlines expect to carry record numbers of passengers this summer. Industry groups predict that 271 million travelers will fly between June 1 and Aug. 31, beating the 255 million recorded last summer.
AAA predicts the weekend will be the busiest summer holiday in 20 years, with 43.8 million people expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday and Monday, including 38 million by car.
The annual display of wanderlust that marks the start of the summer travel season comes at a time when Americans say they are concerned in polls about the economy and the direction of the country.
For many years, Memorial Day was celebrated annually on May 30th to honor American soldiers who died in battle, but in 1971 it officially became a federal holiday and is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.
Jason Redman, a former Navy SEAL who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, told The Associated Press last year that he remembers his fallen friends and has 30 names tattooed on his arm, “everyone that I knew personally that passed away.”
Related: What to do in Central Florida over Memorial Day weekend
