When Are Airports Busy in 2022

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently answered a leading question most air travelers ask when preparing to travel over the 2022 holiday season.

The TSA announced that it expects travel volumes to be busiest on Dec. 22 and Dec. 30, 2022.

Additionally, the TSA suggests packing an extra dose of patience on those days!

As of December 20, 2022, TSA airport activity approached about 95% of 2019 volumes.

TSA Administrator David Pekoske stated in a press release on December 19, 2022, "We are prepared for the increased volume and expect to meet our wait time standards of 30 minutes or less in standard lanes and 10 minutes or less in TSA PreCheck® lanes."

"However, there may be some situations where the capacity of a checkpoint is exceeded."

At many airport checkpoints, the Transportation Security Officer may ask travelers to insert a physical ID into one of our new Credential Authentication Technology units.

Residents of Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland may even use their Apple mobile device to store their ID in Apple Wallet and use their mobile device in specific TSA PreCheck lanes at participating airports. 

Additionally, to provide a higher level of assistance for travelers with questions, airline passengers may now send a text using any mobile device to "AskTSA" (275-872).

A virtual assistant is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For more complicated questions, AskTSA staff are available daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. In addition, passengers may still reach out to AskTSA (@AskTSA) on Twitter with questions and comments.

Travelers should keep these TSA tips in mind while traveling:

First, prepare for security when packing for your trip.

Be aware of what can go in carry-on or checked bags to ensure no prohibited items.

To see if an item is not permitted, check the TSA website under "What Can I Bring?"

TSA encourages those traveling with gifts this holiday season to use gift bags that can be easily opened or gift boxes with lids that can be removed, so that contents can be inspected if required.

Before heading to the airport, travelers should ensure they have acceptable identification.

Travelers or families of passengers with disabilities and/or medical conditions may call the TSA Cares helpline at 855-787-2227 at least 72 hours before travel with any questions.

TSA Cares also arranges assistance at the checkpoint for travelers with specific needs. 

Furthermore, the leading travel vaccination requirement is yellow fever when visiting the Caribbean or South America this year.

The YF-Vax® vaccine is generally available at travel clinics and pharmacies in Texas and the U.S.

But this vaccine needs about ten days to build up maximum immunity.

And most importantly, thank flight attendants, gate agents, or anyone serving at the frontlines of transportation this holiday.

Vax-Before-Travel publishes fact-checked, research-based travel information manually curated for mobile readers.