- TSA screened more than 1.8 million people on Sunday.
- It was the most travelers to pass through security checkpoints since the pandemic hit last spring.
- TSA still requires all travelers to wear a face mask when traveling on public transportation.
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The Transportation Security Administration screened 1,850,531 people at airport security checkpoints on Sunday, marking a new record high number of air travelers since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
-Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) May 17, 2021
The previous high was on March 12, when more than 1.3 million people were screened, a number not seen since a year earlier.
Although the number of people traveling has been rising and falling, according to TSA checkpoint data, there are many indicators that people are preparing to travel again as vaccine rollout continues and COVID-19 restrictions become less strict around the country.
Although CDC lifted mask mandates for fully vaccinated people last week, travelers are still required to wear masks on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation. Lisa Farbstein, a spokesperson for TSA, said the agency also recommends that all passengers bring an extra mask with them when traveling, as well as hand sanitizer.
After the CDC updated mask guidelines, private businesses, including large retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and more, are dropping mask mandates for fully vaccinated customers unless local laws are still requiring the face coverings.