Travelore Tips: TSA Expects This Holiday Travel Season To Be The Busiest Ever

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has screened a record number of passengers this year and anticipates airport security checkpoints nationwide will be busier than ever this holiday travel season.

The season kicks off with Thanksgiving travel, which begins Friday, Nov. 17 and concludes Tuesday, Nov. 28. During the 12-day period, TSA expects to screen 30 million passengers. Historically, the three busiest travel days are the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving and the Sunday afterward. TSA is projecting to screen 2.6 million passengers on Tuesday, Nov. 21; 2.7 million passengers on Wednesday, Nov. 22 and 2.9 million passengers on Sunday, Nov. 26, which will likely be the busiest travel day.

"We expect this holiday season to be our busiest ever. In 2023, we have already seen seven of the top 10 busiest travel days in TSA's history," said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. "We are ready for the anticipated volumes and are working closely with our airline and airport partners to make sure we are prepared for this busy holiday travel season. We will also do our best to maintain wait time standards of under 10 minutes for TSA PreCheck® lanes and under 30 minutes for standard screening lanes. I am grateful for our dedicated employees who continue to remain vigilant and focused on the mission during this holiday travel season and beyond."

TSA has recorded multiple days with more than 2.8 million passengers screened so far in 2023. The current record for the heaviest passenger screening volume in TSA history was on Friday, June 30. On that day, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) screened nearly 2.9 million passengers at checkpoints nationwide. TSA will likely exceed this record this Thanksgiving holiday travel period.

To view the highest passenger screening volumes recorded by TSA since its establishment in 2001, please click here.

Additionally, there are now more than 17.6 million passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck, which is the highest amount ever recorded and represents 3.9 million more TSA PreCheck members than there were this time last year.

Travelers should keep these top tips in mind before arriving at the airport:

Pack smart; start with empty bags. Passengers who start with an empty bag while packing are less likely to bring prohibited items through the checkpoint. Certain foods, such as gravy, cranberry sauce, wine, jam and preserves must be packed in a checked bag because they are considered to be liquids or gels. If you can spill it, spray it, spread it, pump it or pour it, then it is a liquid and must be packed in your checked bag. As always, passengers may bring solid foods such as cakes and other baked goods through the TSA checkpoint. Check for prohibited items by using the "What Can I Bring?" page on TSA.gov. or just ask @AskTSA.

Bring an acceptable ID and have it out in the screening lane. Before heading to the airport, travelers must make sure they have acceptable identification. Identity verification is an important step in the security screening process. At many checkpoints, the TSO may ask you to insert your physical ID into one of our Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) units, where a boarding pass is not needed.

The second generation of CAT, called CAT-2, is currently deployed to 25 airports and adds a camera and smartphone reader to the other CAT features. The camera captures a real-time photo of the traveler at the podium and compares the traveler's photo on the identification credential against the in-person, real-time photo. Once the CAT-2 confirms the match, the TSO verifies and directs the traveler for appropriate security screening without ever exchanging a boarding pass. Photos are never stored or used for any other purpose than immediate identity verification. Passenger participation is voluntary and if a passenger chooses not to have their photo taken, they may have their identity verified manually instead without losing their place in line. For more information on how TSA is using facial recognition technology to enhance security effectiveness, improve operational efficiency and yield a more streamlined passenger experience, go to https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/factsheets/facial-recognition-technology.

Arrive early. The airport will be busy this week, so arrive two hours prior to your scheduled flight to allow for adequate time to park your car or arrive via public transit or rideshare, check bags and go through security screening before arriving at the gate.

If you plan to travel with a firearm, you must properly pack the firearm in a hard-sided, locked case in your checked bag and declare it with the airline at the ticket counter when checking in. Passengers are prohibited from packing firearms in carry-on luggage and bringing them to the airport security checkpoint and onboard aircraft. Bringing a firearm to a TSA checkpoint is expensive and time-consuming and can cause delays. The maximum civil penalty for bringing a firearm to a TSA checkpoint is nearly $15,000. Additionally, it will result in the loss of TSA PreCheck eligibility for up to five years. For more information on transporting firearms, visit: www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition.

Be aware of new checkpoint screening technology. TSA uses a variety of security methods and technologies to secure our transportation systems. Screening protocols vary from airport to airport, depending on available technology and the current threat environment. Some airports have installed new state-of-the-art Computed Tomography (CT) scanners which significantly improve threat detection capabilities for carry-on bags and reduce physical searches of bag contents for prohibited items. CT units give TSOs the ability to review 3-D images of passengers' bags, so passengers screened in security lanes with CT units do not need to remove their 3-1-1 liquids or laptops. With CT units, all travelers must place every carry-on item, including bags, into a bin for screening.

Travel with ease with TSA PreCheck and ensure you have the TSA PreCheck mark on your boarding pass. TSA's trusted traveler program now has more than 90 participating airlines, is available at more than 200 airports and has two authorized enrollment providers. Those enrolled enjoy the benefits of faster checkpoint screening. The five-year membership costs just $78. After submitting an online application, which takes just five minutes, applicants must schedule an appointment at any of the 500 plus enrollment centers. After a successful enrollment center visit, most new enrollees will receive their Known Traveler Number (KTN) within three to five days. Members may renew their membership online up to six months prior to expiration for another five-year term for $70.

Most TSA PreCheck members wait less than five minutes at the checkpoint. Children 12 and younger may join TSA PreCheck family members in the TSA PreCheck screening lanes. Children 13-17 may join enrolled adults in the dedicated lanes when traveling on the same reservation and if the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the child's boarding pass. TSA PreCheck passengers must ensure that their KTN, along with correct date of birth, is in their airline reservation. For more information about becoming a member of the TSA PreCheck program, visit: www.TSA.gov/precheck.

Call ahead to request passenger support. Travelers or families of passengers who need assistance may call the TSA Cares helpline toll-free at 855-787-2227 at least 72 hours prior to travel with any questions about screening procedures and to find out what to expect at the security checkpoint. TSA Cares also arranges assistance at the checkpoint for travelers with specific needs.

Text or direct message us @ AskTSA. Get your questions answered before you head to the airport. Travelers can get assistance in real time by texting their question to #275-872 ("AskTSA") or through @AskTSA on X (formerly known as Twitter) or Facebook Messenger. An automated virtual assistant is available 24/7, while staff is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET daily, including holidays and weekends. Travelers may also reach the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673. Staff is available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends/holidays; and an automated service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Remain aware. Travelers should report suspicious activities, and remember: If You See Something, Say Something™.

Show gratitude to frontline workers. Thank a TSO, a gate agent, a flight attendant or someone who serves on the transportation frontlines. TSOs complete about 200 hours of training to become certified and are committed to transportation security while ensuring all travelers are treated with respect and courtesy. Pack an extra dose of patience, especially during higher passenger volume travel days, and show gratitude to those who are working diligently over the holidays and every day to get everyone to their destinations safely.

SOURCE: Transportation Security Administration

Travelore Tips: The Best Airlines For Holiday Travel On Points

If you’re seeing Halloween decorations at the store, you should take that as a sign the holiday travel season is just around the corner. Cue the expensive flights! If you’re relying on points and miles to cover the cost, you might want to consider whether booking award flights for the holidays is the best use of your travel rewards.

In NerdWallet’s annual analysis of airline mile values, holiday flights in December often didn’t provide the highest per-mile value compared with flights booked 180 days out or 15 days out from the date of departure. With flight prices up 43% from last year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data, you’ll likely have to use a lot of miles to pay for the flight. If you’re a points and miles maximizer, you probably would prefer to save your miles for a time of year when you might be able to get more value.

But if fares are getting too expensive, you may choose to book award flights instead. The best airline for holiday award travel based on the value of its points is a four-way tie among American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines.

Here’s how we came to that conclusion, plus more advice on how to shop holiday flights on points.

AIM FOR 1.4 CENTS PER MILE

NerdWallet examined nine major U.S. airlines and analyzed the prices of nearly 600 domestic flights in 2022. In this analysis, holiday flights were defined as those departing on Dec. 18 and returning on Dec. 29. Of the nine airlines examined, four airlines tied for the highest baseline value for miles spent on holiday flights, which was 1.4 cents per mile. If you fly American, Delta, Frontier or Southwest, you should aim to get about this much when you divide the cash price by the number of miles.

For example, a $600 round-trip flight should cost about 42,857 miles (or less, if you’re getting an even better deal).

Here is the full list of each airline’s valuation per mile when used for holiday flights.

— Alaska Airlines: 1.2 cents (nonholiday valuation: 1.2 cents).

— American Airlines: 1.4 cents (nonholiday valuation: 1.5 cents).

— Delta Air Lines: 1.4 cents (nonholiday valuation: 1.5 cents).

— Frontier Airlines: 1.4 cents (nonholiday valuation: 0.9 cent).
— Hawaiian Airlines 0.9 cent (nonholiday valuation: 1 cent).

— JetBlue Airways: 1.3 cents (nonholiday valuation: 1.5 cents).

— Southwest Airlines: 1.4 cents (nonholiday valuation: 1.5 cents).

— Spirit Airlines: 0.7 cent (nonholiday valuation: 0.8 cent).

— United Airlines: 1.1 cents (nonholiday valuation: 1.2 cents).

Frontier presents a unique opportunity among the four front-runners.

For the most part, 1.4 cents is slightly below the nonholiday valuation of these airlines’ miles; American, Delta and Southwest miles are usually worth about 1.5 cents each.

Frontier is the exception where redeeming your miles during the holidays is smart because miles are worth more than normal. Frontier’s nonholiday valuation is 0.9 cent. However, this cost considers only the base fare — added fees for seat selection or baggage might decrease your value per point.

AVOID USING MILES WHEN THEY’RE WORTH LESS THAN 1 CENT

This is a good rule at any time, but particularly during the holidays. A valuation of less than 1 cent per mile is abysmal considering you can often redeem credit card points for cash back at a standard rate of 1 cent each — and that’s low when compared with travel credit cards that let you redeem through their travel portals at 1.25 cents or 1.5 cents each.

For the holidays, you probably won’t want to book Hawaiian or Spirit flights with miles, which are worth 0.9 cent and 0.7 cent, respectively.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MILES

NerdWallet’s data shows airline miles are generally worth slightly less when you use them to book holiday flights. That means you’ll probably spend more miles on holiday flights than you would on nonholiday flights. There are still a few ways you can save on holiday travel, though.

BOOK WHEN THE FLIGHTS ARE LESS EXPENSIVE. Most U.S. airlines use dynamic award pricing, so if the cash price is lower, the number of miles needed to book will be lower, too. According to data from Google Flights, the average price for flights around Christmas usually drops from 20 to 88 days before departure.

TRANSFER MILES FROM A CREDIT CARD. Two of the airlines with the most valuable miles around the holidays are credit card transfer partners. If you have a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can transfer your credit card points to Southwest. Cardholders who earn American Express Membership Rewards can transfer to Delta. These might be good options if booking with airline miles provides better value than booking in the credit card issuer’s travel portal.

BOOK WITH A COMBINATION OF POINTS AND MILES. This option will take a bit more math to ensure you’re getting the best deal, but some airlines, like Delta, allow you to book with cash and miles if you don’t have enough miles to cover the entire cost. Even if you’re not flying with Delta, consider other ways to unbundle your travel like paying cash for a one-way flight and miles for the way back.

The value of your points and miles will depend on your redemption. Do the math and aim to get 1 cent to 1.4 cents per mile. If the value is lower than that, pay cash for your holiday flight and save your miles for any other month than December.

By MEGHAN COYLE of NerdWallet

9 Travel Tips That Will Save Your Holiday Season

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Avoid the rush by knowing when to travel.

Hitting the road, heading to the airport, or even booking a trip during this time of year can be a headache—but it doesn't have to be.

Why does every holiday season feel like a montage of scenes from Home Alone? Family members running around frantically, eating your pizza, oversleeping, and sprinting to a flight: It's enough to make you want to skip the holiday altogether. Arm yourself against the mania this year with these nine tested travel hacks.

BOOKING IT

• Be bold—fly on Christmas Day. Christmas Day is, indeed, one of the most popular holidays, which makes it one of the least popular days to travel—and airlines know it. If you're willing to fly on December 25, you'll find significantly cheaper fares. If you don't feel like opening gifts in the air, keep in mind that heading out December 26 and returning January 3 are the most popular travel days; consider leaving December 27 and returning January 2. Even this slight tweak will make hotels and flights cheaper.
• Get sneaky. Online travel sites like Expedia, Priceline, and Orbitz may not have the same listings as airlines, and vice versa. Do your part by searching both, signing up for fare alerts, and following sites like Travelzoo and Airfarewatchdog on social media. If you're feeling sneaky, try hidden-city airfare sites like Skiplagged, which can save travelers money by booking their final destination as a layover. While it's not illegal, there can be drawbacks—airlines see it as exploitation, and may restrict your future travel if you're caught repeatedly using this strategy.
• Delete, delete, delete. It's happened to the best of us: We see a cheap flight, promise to come back later, and when we do, the price has skyrocketed. It's typically because airlines and travel websites track your visits to the site through cookies and cache information, and hold your searches against you. Clear both, and you're more likely than not to see lower prices; this will make it appear like you're a first-time visitor to the site.

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Wrapped presents in your bag can be seen as a risk.

UP IN THE AIR

• Follow gift guidance. Mike McCarthy, a spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration, says that travelers can bring wrapped gifts in their luggage, but that pretty paper may have to come off if the gift looks like it's been tampered with or poses a security threat. His suggestion? Consider using a gift bag instead of traditional wrapping paper so that you're able to take items in and out with ease. If you're a planner, you can always ship gifts to where you'll be celebrating, so you don't lose precious luggage space.
• Use tech to get ahead. Not only can you tweet the TSA and ask if you're allowed to bring that pie onboard, but contacting airlines through their social media channels has proven remarkably effective in the past. Waiting in line? Fire off a tweet, or hop on the phone with a customer service representative from the airline. They're looking at the same database as the staffers behind the counter, and will probably be able to move much quicker. Pro move: Have all of these numbers entered into your phone before you head to the airport, so you'll be able to pull them up if necessary.
• Pack like you know what you're doing. This goes for carry-ons and checked luggage. Should you be forced to check a bag unexpectedly or—knock on wood—the airline lose your suitcase, you'll want to have valuables and fragile and crucial items with you. Have your items separated before you get to security, and if you find yourself in an interminable queue, empty your pockets before you're asked to do so. Wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off (we recommend the Chelsea boot), and don't pack wine in your carry-on unless you want to throw it out. Worried about wrinkles? Fold your clothes using tissue paper. Worried about saving space? Roll your clothes.
• Just leave early. Seriously. With holiday travel, the early bird doesn't just get the worm—it gets to savor it. And while none of us wants to spend any more time at the airport than we have to, adding 45 extra minutes on top of your usual pre-flight timing will give you the flexibility to get through security, and adapt to any delays or changes, without feeling rushed. (It'll also help you feel sane when faced with slow-moving families making their once-a-year trip.) Apps like GateGuru can also come in handy by giving you real-time updates on security wait times, flight delays, and gate changes.

HITTING THE ROAD

• Avoid traffic jams. This year, Wednesday, December 23 is anticipated to be the busiest on the road. If you absolutely cannot leave any other day, leave early and plan ahead: The busiest window will be 3–6 p.m. As far as returning goes, heading back Monday, December 28 after noon.
• Beat the weather. Being prepared goes a long way. And with inclement weather striking anywhere and anytime, it's best to manage what you can control. A day or so before you're slated to leave, check the tire pressure, oil, washer fluid, windshield wipers and all of the lights in your car. Pack an emergency kit, or update the one you have: bottled water, non-perishable snacks, jumper cables, and warm blankets are just a few of the items you should have.
• Written by Katherine LaGrave
   www.cntravelrer.com