Passenger Index / Holiday travel / Christmas and New Year 2021

Christmas and New Year 2021 air travel: how US airports and states did

· TSA checkpoint screenings and CBP international arrivals · updated · how it is measured

TSA screened 27,218,417 passengers nationwide over the Christmas and New Year 2021 travel period (Mon, Dec 20, 2021 – Sun, Jan 2, 2022), up 82.1% from 14,944,402 over the same period a year earlier. The busiest day was Thursday, December 23, with 2,197,896 screenings.

The busiest airports by departing passengers screened were Los Angeles International Airport (LAX, about 1.1 million), Orlando International Airport (MCO, about 911,000) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK, about 909,000). Among states, California led with about 3.3 million.

Key facts

Travel period
TSA screenings
27,218,417 (+82.1% YoY)
Busiest day
: 2,197,896
Busiest airport
LAX, about 1.1 million

Day by day, nationwide

TSA checkpoint screenings each day of the Christmas and New Year 2021 travel period and the matching day a year earlier (TSA published totals, exact).
2021ScreenedYear earlierScreenedYoY
2,099,8521,111,609+88.9%
1,996,0711,002,953+99.0%
2,106,2091,043,366+101.9%
2,197,8961,244,556+76.6%
1,713,351885,065+93.6%
1,535,935683,838+124.6%
2,074,4581,181,793+75.5%
2,093,6151,334,030+56.9%
2,000,8911,161,059+72.3%
2,029,3431,069,787+89.7%
2,069,4131,215,423+70.3%
1,658,357914,456+81.3%
1,616,850849,514+90.3%
2,026,1761,246,953+62.5%

Biggest movers

Among airports with at least 100,000 departing passengers screened in the year-earlier period. Up most: DCA +208.6%, SFO +207.3%, HNL +204.0%, JFK +151.1%, LGA +150.1%. Down most: HOU +27.1%, FLL +27.9%, MDW +39.7%, DFW +50.0%, MCO +52.3%.

By state

Departing passengers screened over Christmas and New Year 2021, by state: sum of the state's airports with complete data, rounded to 3 significant figures.
StateDeparting screenedYoYBusiest airportAirports
California3.3 million+145.4%LAX21
Florida2.9 million+53.2%MCO17
Texas2.3 million+61.5%DFW23
New York1.7 million+148.7%JFK16
Illinois1.1 million+66.1%ORD7
Colorado938,000+55.5%DEN9
New Jersey833,000+107.6%EWR2
Nevada793,000+83.5%LAS3
Washington661,000+85.4%SEA9
Massachusetts586,000+122.6%BOS5
Hawaii555,000+182.1%HNL4
Virginia515,000+140.2%DCA7
Michigan512,000+56.4%DTW11
Pennsylvania438,000+85.9%PHL11
Tennessee432,000+66.3%BNA5
Minnesota427,000+82.7%MSP5
Missouri394,000+64.6%STL7
Utah349,000+62.8%SLC5
Ohio341,000+62.9%CLE5
North Carolina329,000+78.7%RDU8
Oregon325,000+91.3%PDX5
Maryland301,000+62.9%BWI2
Louisiana245,000+65.9%MSY7
Kentucky231,000+61.7%CVG4
Indiana209,000+56.6%IND4
Wisconsin185,000+81.0%MKE7
South Carolina184,000+75.9%CHS5
Oklahoma127,000+52.5%OKC3
Connecticut109,000+109.1%BDL1
Montana107,000+49.3%BZN12
Alaska101,000+85.9%ANC6
Nebraska97,700+60.4%OMA6
New Mexico97,400+146.4%ABQ4
Idaho97,200+45.1%BOI5
Alabama84,600+47.0%BHM5
Iowa81,700+68.2%DSM3
Georgia73,200+81.8%SAV7
Arizona72,200+73.1%TUS3
Arkansas70,300+63.0%LIT3
Rhode Island61,100+117.2%PVD1
U.S. Virgin Islands45,500+41.7%STT2
South Dakota41,600+52.8%FSD5
North Dakota41,300+33.2%FAR8
Maine38,400+77.0%PWM4
Mississippi38,200+85.6%JAN4
Kansas35,400+68.0%ICT6
Wyoming33,800+40.2%JAC8
New Hampshire26,600+131.9%MHT1
Guam12,400+159.5%GUM1
West Virginia9,000+66.6%CRW4
Vermont216n/aRUT1

By airport

All 317 airports with complete TSA data on every day of both periods, ranked by departing passengers screened (3 significant figures).
#CodeAirportStateDeparting screenedYoY
1LAXLos Angeles International AirportCA1.1 million+128.0%
2MCOOrlando International AirportFL911,000+52.3%
3JFKJohn F. Kennedy International AirportNY909,000+151.1%
4ORDChicago O'Hare International AirportIL852,000+75.2%
5EWRNewark Liberty International AirportNJ816,000+107.7%
6DENDenver International AirportCO801,000+53.4%
7DFWDallas Fort Worth International AirportTX716,000+50.0%
8LASHarry Reid International AirportNV711,000+84.4%
9FLLFort Lauderdale-Hollywood International AirportFL623,000+27.9%
10SFOSan Francisco International AirportCA613,000+207.3%
11BOSBoston Logan International AirportMA585,000+122.8%
12IAHGeorge Bush Intercontinental AirportTX567,000+71.3%
13SEASeattle-Tacoma International AirportWA554,000+93.8%
14LGALaGuardia AirportNY494,000+150.1%
15TPATampa International AirportFL446,000+65.7%
16MSPMinneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportMN416,000+83.5%
17DTWDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportMI400,000+56.7%
18PHLPhiladelphia International AirportPA372,000+86.9%
19SANSan Diego International AirportCA361,000+111.9%
20SLCSalt Lake City International AirportUT337,000+64.0%
21DCARonald Reagan Washington National AirportVA321,000+208.6%
22AUSAustin-Bergstrom International AirportTX317,000+116.2%
23HNLDaniel K. Inouye International AirportHI305,000+204.0%
24BWIBaltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall AirportMD299,000+63.2%
25BNANashville International AirportTN283,000+75.0%
26RSWSouthwest Florida International AirportFL279,000+54.0%
27PDXPortland International AirportOR262,000+97.2%
28RDURaleigh-Durham International AirportNC223,000+91.6%
29MDWChicago Midway International AirportIL211,000+39.7%
30SMFSacramento International AirportCA210,000+83.1%
31STLSt. Louis Lambert International AirportMO208,000+74.8%
32DALDallas Love FieldTX204,000+55.0%
33MSYLouis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportLA203,000+75.2%
34SNAJohn Wayne AirportCA185,000+189.1%
35OAKOakland International AirportCA182,000+142.6%
36SATSan Antonio International AirportTX179,000+81.9%
37SJCSan José Mineta International AirportCA178,000+187.9%
38INDIndianapolis International AirportIN168,000+61.4%
39HOUWilliam P. Hobby AirportTX164,000+27.1%
40PBIPalm Beach International AirportFL164,000+87.6%
41CLECleveland Hopkins International AirportOH161,000+55.1%
42MCIKansas City International AirportMO160,000+56.6%
43OGGKahului AirportHI143,000+154.4%
44CMHJohn Glenn Columbus International AirportOH142,000+79.2%
45CVGCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International AirportKY136,000+56.6%
46JAXJacksonville International AirportFL119,000+79.5%
47MKEMilwaukee Mitchell International AirportWI116,000+90.1%
48BURHollywood Burbank AirportCA110,000+274.8%
49BDLBradley International AirportCT109,000+109.1%
50ONTOntario International AirportCA104,000+102.1%
51SRQSarasota Bradenton International AirportFL93,500+153.8%
52ABQAlbuquerque International SunportNM89,100+146.3%
53OMAEppley AirfieldNE88,300+59.1%
54CHSCharleston International AirportSC84,100+83.3%
55KOAEllison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole AirportHI82,700+160.0%
56RICRichmond International AirportVA82,400+93.1%
57ORFNorfolk International AirportVA81,600+62.2%
58RNOReno-Tahoe International AirportNV81,400+77.0%
59MEMMemphis International AirportTN81,000+57.6%
60BOIBoise AirportID77,600+39.9%
61GRRGerald R. Ford International AirportMI74,300+56.6%
62OKCWill Rogers International AirportOK74,100+57.8%
63BUFBuffalo Niagara International AirportNY73,100+154.4%
64SDFLouisville Muhammad Ali International AirportKY72,600+80.2%
65SFBOrlando Sanford International AirportFL70,500+73.4%
66ANCTed Stevens Anchorage International AirportAK69,700+83.2%
67PSPPalm Springs International AirportCA68,400+197.6%
68TUSTucson International AirportAZ67,900+79.0%
69ELPEl Paso International AirportTX67,500+65.7%
70GEGSpokane International AirportWA67,200+36.7%
71PVDRhode Island T. F. Green International AirportRI61,100+117.2%
72LGBLong Beach (Daugherty Field)CA58,000+319.0%
73SAVSavannah/Hilton Head International AirportGA56,600+105.1%
74DSMDes Moines International AirportIA54,500+68.2%
75PGDPunta Gorda AirportFL51,900+57.9%
76TULTulsa International AirportOK51,800+45.1%
77BZNBozeman Yellowstone International AirportMT51,400+87.8%
78SYRSyracuse Hancock International AirportNY48,800+154.3%
79BHMBirmingham-Shuttlesworth International AirportAL48,600+52.5%
80ALBAlbany International AirportNY48,400+141.8%
81PNSPensacola International AirportFL47,100+46.5%
82ROCFrederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International AirportNY45,200+156.6%
83TYSMc Ghee Tyson AirportTN44,700+47.8%
84COSCity Of Colorado Springs Municipal AirportCO44,200+123.2%
85FATFresno Yosemite International AirportCA43,100+67.3%
86MYRMyrtle Beach International AirportSC40,400+105.0%
87LITBill and Hillary Clinton National/Adams FieldAR38,600+50.1%
88GSPGreenville Spartanburg International AirportSC37,200+57.4%
89ISPLong Island Mac Arthur AirportNY36,100+114.9%
90MSNDane County Regional/Truax FieldWI35,000+94.9%
91STTCyril E King AirportVI34,800+47.2%
92EYWKey West International AirportFL34,700+53.5%
93AVLAsheville Regional AirportNC34,400+69.0%
94VPSEglin AFB/Destin-Ft Walton BeachFL30,500+67.3%
95ICTWichita Dwight D Eisenhower National AirportKS30,000+59.2%
96XNANorthwest Arkansas National AirportAR29,800+91.2%
97HPNWestchester County AirportNY29,600+83.5%
98GSOPiedmont Triad International AirportNC29,500+88.0%
99PWMPortland International JetportME27,900+66.5%
100FSDJoe Foss FieldSD26,700+61.0%
101MHTManchester Boston Regional AirportNH26,600+131.9%
102CIDThe Eastern Iowa AirportIA26,300+67.2%
103EUGMahlon Sweet FieldOR26,300+111.5%
104JACJackson Hole AirportWY25,300+46.9%
105MDTHarrisburg International AirportPA24,300+85.8%
106ITOHilo International AirportHI24,100+190.6%
107JANJackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International AirportMS23,700+129.8%
108ECPNorthwest Florida Beaches International AirportFL23,100+24.5%
109MAFMidland International Air And Space Port AirportTX22,700+32.8%
110DAYJames M Cox Dayton International AirportOH22,400+44.7%
111LEXBlue Grass AirportKY21,900+45.2%
112SGFSpringfield-Branson National AirportMO20,600+37.9%
113SBASanta Barbara Municipal AirportCA20,500+227.6%
114HSVHuntsville International-Carl T Jones FieldAL19,700+58.3%
115MFEMc Allen Miller International AirportTX19,100+69.5%
116RDMRoberts FieldOR19,100+58.8%
117HDNYampa Valley AirportCO18,900+91.3%
118ABELehigh Valley International AirportPA18,800+84.9%
119FARHector International AirportND18,200+43.5%
120CAEColumbia Metropolitan AirportSC17,900+50.9%
121MFRRogue Valley International - Medford AirportOR17,800+38.8%
122ILMWilmington International AirportNC17,600+37.8%
123LBBLubbock Preston Smith International AirportTX17,600+30.7%
124MTJMontrose Regional AirportCO17,500+82.6%
125EGEEagle County Regional AirportCO17,300+27.1%
126FWAFort Wayne International AirportIN17,300+43.8%
127ASEAspen-Pitkin County/Sardy FieldCO17,000+37.7%
128SBNSouth Bend International AirportIN16,800+39.1%
129TLHTallahassee International AirportFL16,700+70.3%
130TTNTrenton Mercer AirportNJ16,600+103.7%
131MSOMissoula Montana AirportMT16,600+52.7%
132HRLValley International AirportTX15,900+58.6%
133FAIFairbanks International AirportAK15,800+90.7%
134BILBillings Logan International AirportMT15,200+6.8%
135FNTBishop International AirportMI15,000+57.2%
136ATWAppleton International AirportWI14,700+39.6%
137PSCTri-Cities AirportWA14,600+40.3%
138CHALovell FieldTN13,800+26.7%
139GPIGlacier Park International AirportMT13,600+26.8%
140AMARick Husband Amarillo International AirportTX13,300+22.9%
141PIAGeneral Downing - Peoria International AirportIL13,100+50.2%
142CRPCorpus Christi International AirportTX12,800+29.1%
143GUMGuam International AirportGU12,400+159.5%
144ROARoanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field)VA12,200+64.8%
145GPTGulfport-Biloxi International AirportMS12,200+34.9%
146BLIBellingham International AirportWA12,100+294.9%
147RAPRapid City Regional AirportSD11,800+27.9%
148DABDaytona Beach International AirportFL11,600+34.2%
149CAKAkron-Canton Regional AirportOH11,500+68.7%
150MLBMelbourne Orlando International AirportFL11,400+94.2%
151SHVShreveport Regional AirportLA11,400+44.0%
152MLIQuad Cities International AirportIL11,200+48.7%
153GRBGreen Bay/Austin Straubel International AirportWI11,200+55.8%
154BTRBaton Rouge Metropolitan, Ryan FieldLA11,100+28.7%
155IDAIdaho Falls Regional AirportID10,800+79.9%
156STXHenry E Rohlsen AirportVI10,700+26.4%
157BISBismarck Municipal AirportND10,700+23.5%
158STSCharles M Schulz - Sonoma County AirportCA10,600+253.5%
159CHOCharlottesville-Albemarle AirportVA10,300+117.9%
160BGRBangor International AirportME10,100+111.1%
161SBPSan Luis County Regional AirportCA10,000+77.9%
162GJTGrand Junction Regional AirportCO9,990+33.1%
163GNVGainesville Regional AirportFL9,260+70.2%
164TVCCherry Capital AirportMI9,260+33.4%
165MOBMobile Regional AirportAL9,240+17.9%
166AGSAugusta Regional at Bush FieldGA9,220+13.6%
167DRODurango-La Plata County AirportCO8,980+52.2%
168LFTLafayette Regional/Paul Fournet FieldLA8,840+32.4%
169TRITri-Cities AirportTN8,690+73.4%
170JNUJuneau International AirportAK8,680+101.0%
171BMICentral Illinois Regional/Bloomington-Normal AirportIL8,360+48.8%
172MRYMonterey Regional AirportCA7,900+146.2%
173JQFConcord-Padgett Regional AirportNC7,380+65.4%
174FAYFayetteville Regional/Grannis FieldNC7,320+22.5%
175AVPWilkes-Barre/Scranton International AirportPA7,280+57.4%
176EVVEvansville Regional AirportIN7,180+32.5%
177OAJAlbert J Ellis AirportNC7,090+12.3%
178CRWWest Virginia International Yeager AirportWV7,080+58.7%
179ACVCalifornia Redwood Coast-Humboldt County AirportCA6,900+305.2%
180BFLMeadows FieldCA6,610+51.2%
181MOTMinot International AirportND6,470+29.3%
182SUNFriedman Memorial AirportID6,100+85.8%
183PVUProvo Municipal AirportUT5,960+53.7%
184DLHDuluth International AirportMN5,850+91.6%
185MGMMontgomery Regional (Dannelly Field)AL5,690+34.6%
186LBEArnold Palmer Regional AirportPA5,680+83.6%
187PAESnohomish County (Paine Field)WA5,430+77.1%
188UNVUniversity Park AirportPA5,260+76.9%
189GTFGreat Falls International AirportMT5,250+3.6%
190GRKRobert Gray AAF AirportTX5,200-1.4%
191SGUSt George Regional AirportUT5,070+14.4%
192SAFSanta Fe Municipal AirportNM5,010+146.8%
193LRDLaredo International AirportTX4,980+122.1%
194ELMElmira/Corning Regional AirportNY4,910+139.4%
195PBGPlattsburgh International AirportNY4,860n/a
196BROBrownsville/South Padre Island International AirportTX4,600+20.7%
197AEXAlexandria International AirportLA4,520+0.2%
198HXDHilton Head AirportSC4,470+25.4%
199LANCapital Region International AirportMI4,460+91.5%
200LNKLincoln AirportNE4,430+187.3%
201TOLEugene F Kranz Toledo Express AirportOH4,280+3.9%
202RDDRedding Regional AirportCA3,940n/a
203GUCGunnison-Crested Butte Regional AirportCO3,940+35.5%
204MLUMonroe Regional AirportLA3,910+23.4%
205CWACentral Wisconsin AirportWI3,850+62.7%
206PHFNewport News/Williamsburg International AirportVA3,760+31.3%
207HLNHelena Regional AirportMT3,700+71.2%
208COUColumbia Regional AirportMO3,500+124.0%
209ERIErie International/Tom Ridge FieldPA3,300+51.5%
210GRICentral Nebraska Regional AirportNE3,280+19.9%
211AZOKalamazoo/Battle Creek International AirportMI3,270+45.3%
212RSTRochester International AirportMN3,270+17.5%
213LYHLynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn FieldVA3,200+46.4%
214MBSMBS International AirportMI3,180+55.5%
215NYLYuma MCAS/Yuma International AirportAZ3,160+2.5%
216EWNCoastal Carolina Regional AirportNC3,120+29.9%
217KTNKetchikan International AirportAK3,020+79.6%
218LSELa Crosse Regional AirportWI2,970+30.0%
219MHKManhattan Regional AirportKS2,920+162.5%
220ABIAbilene Regional AirportTX2,880-8.5%
221CMIUniversity Of Illinois/Willard AirportIL2,780+32.0%
222ITHIthaca Tompkins International AirportNY2,750+166.8%
223CSGColumbus AirportGA2,720n/a
224CPRCasper/Natrona County International AirportWY2,580-4.6%
225PUWPullman/Moscow Regional AirportWA2,490+84.1%
226SJTSan Angelo Regional/Mathis FieldTX2,420+16.4%
227SBYSalisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional AirportMD2,340+33.7%
228LCHLake Charles Regional AirportLA2,320n/a
229ROWRoswell Air Center AirportNM2,180+102.9%
230XWAWilliston Basin International AirportND2,070+88.5%
231CLLEasterwood FieldTX2,020-5.9%
232ADQKodiak AirportAK2,010+86.1%
233FSMFort Smith Regional AirportAR2,010+6.0%
234GFKGrand Forks International AirportND1,990-15.2%
235SITSitka Rocky Gutierrez AirportAK1,960+94.9%
236LWSLewiston/Nez Perce County AirportID1,960n/a
237TYRTyler Pounds Regional AirportTX1,900+1.8%
238EATPangborn Memorial AirportWA1,800+37.9%
239YKMYakima Air Terminal/Mcallister FieldWA1,780+13.7%
240ACTWaco Regional AirportTX1,680+17.4%
241ALWWalla Walla Regional AirportWA1,650n/a
242CKBNorth Central West Virginia AirportWV1,600n/a
243GTRGolden Triangle Regional AirportMS1,510n/a
244BQKBrunswick Golden Isles AirportGA1,450+37.6%
245DHNDothan Regional AirportAL1,440+19.4%
246VLDValdosta Regional AirportGA1,430+11.1%
247SHRSheridan County AirportWY1,220n/a
248BJIBemidji Regional AirportMN1,180n/a
249PRCPrescott Regional - Ernest A Love FieldAZ1,140n/a
250ABYSouthwest Georgia Regional AirportGA1,130+8.6%
251CODYellowstone Regional AirportWY1,120+4.5%
252CIUChippewa County International AirportMI1,120n/a
253ABRAberdeen Regional AirportSD1,110n/a
254ATYWatertown Regional AirportSD1,100n/a
255GCCNortheast Wyoming Regional AirportWY1,100n/a
256GGGEast Texas Regional AirportTX1,090+2.6%
257JLNJoplin Regional AirportMO1,090-9.3%
258HOBLea County Regional AirportNM1,040n/a
259SWOStillwater Regional AirportOK1,040n/a
260SLNSalina Regional AirportKS1,020n/a
261DIKDickinson/Theodore Roosevelt Regional AirportND1,010n/a
262RKSSouthwest Wyoming Regional AirportWY1,000n/a
263ARTWatertown International AirportNY981n/a
264PIRPierre Regional AirportSD979n/a
265BTMBert Mooney AirportMT898n/a
266RHIRhinelander/Oneida County AirportWI858n/a
267ALOWaterloo Regional AirportIA839n/a
268TWFJoslin Field/Magic Valley RegionalID839-35.7%
269MEIKey FieldMS824n/a
270LBFNorth Platte Regional/Lee Bird FieldNE795n/a
271CYSCheyenne Regional/Jerry Olson FieldWY723n/a
272LARLaramie Regional AirportWY715n/a
273HYSHays Regional AirportKS662n/a
274BFFWestern Nebraska Regional/William B Heilig FieldNE661n/a
275MCNMiddle Georgia Regional AirportGA637n/a
276OGSOgdensburg International AirportNY626n/a
277CDCCedar City Regional AirportUT626n/a
278JSTJohn Murtha Johnstown/Cambria County AirportPA625n/a
279ESCDelta County AirportMI611n/a
280ACKNantucket Memorial AirportMA607n/a
281EKOElko Regional AirportNV595n/a
282JMSJamestown Regional AirportND574n/a
283APNAlpena County Regional AirportMI535n/a
284CGICape Girardeau Regional AirportMO533n/a
285VELVernal Regional AirportUT496n/a
286TVFThief River Falls Regional AirportMN432n/a
287VCTVictoria Regional AirportTX427n/a
288BGMGreater Binghamton/Edwin A Link FieldNY412n/a
289OTHSouthwest Oregon Regional AirportOR411n/a
290DDCDodge City Regional AirportKS406n/a
291MWAVeterans Airport Of Southern IllinoisIL398n/a
292LBLLiberal Mid-America Regional AirportKS369n/a
293CECJack Mc Namara FieldCA323n/a
294DVLDevils Lake Regional AirportND319n/a
295MVYMartha's Vineyard AirportMA279n/a
296SDYSidney-Richland Regional AirportMT272n/a
297IRKKirksville Regional AirportMO242n/a
298RUTRutland - Southern Vermont Regional AirportVT216n/a
299BHBHancock County/Bar Harbor AirportME215n/a
300DUJDubois Regional AirportPA206n/a
301OWBOwensboro/Daviess County Regional AirportKY202n/a
302BKWRaleigh County Memorial AirportWV194n/a
303SLKAdirondack Regional AirportNY191n/a
304BFDBradford Regional AirportPA187n/a
305AOOAltoona/Blair County AirportPA179n/a
306AIAAlliance Municipal AirportNE170n/a
307RKDKnox County Regional AirportME154n/a
308PVCProvincetown Municipal AirportMA154n/a
309MBLManistee County/Blacker AirportMI153n/a
310MSSMassena International-Richards FieldNY135n/a
311LWBGreenbrier Valley AirportWV125n/a
312GGWWokal Field/Glasgow-Valley CountyMT108n/a
313OLFL M Clayton AirportMT103n/a
314HVRHavre City-County AirportMT103n/a
315GDVDawson Communicipalty AirportMT84n/a
316MCEMerced Regional/Macready FieldCA79n/a
317HYACape Cod Gateway AirportMA51n/a

Download these tables as CSV (CC BY 4.0) · Markdown version

How it is measured

The Christmas and New Year travel period is December 20 through January 2 (14 days). It is compared with the same period a year earlier (). These are fixed calendar dates, so the mix of weekdays differs between the two years; compare with care.

National figures are TSA's published daily checkpoint totals (tsa.gov). Airport and state figures add up TSA's FOIA hourly checkpoint throughput files; they count departing passengers screened, not arrivals or connecting passengers, so they run below airport-reported totals. An airport is included only when TSA's files are complete for it on every day of both periods (317 of 404 reporting airports); nothing is estimated. International arrivals are passengers processed by US Customs and Border Protection at the airports it monitors. Full definitions: methodology.

Cite as: Passenger Index, "Christmas and New Year 2021 air travel: how US airports and states did", https://passengerindex.com/web/holidays/christmas-new-year-2021/ (CC BY 4.0).

Frequently asked questions

How many people flew over Christmas and New Year 2021?

TSA screened 27,218,417 passengers nationwide over the Christmas and New Year 2021 travel period (Mon, Dec 20, 2021 – Sun, Jan 2, 2022), up 82.1% from 14,944,402 over the same period a year earlier. The busiest day was Thursday, December 23, with 2,197,896 screenings.

What was the busiest airport over Christmas and New Year 2021?

The busiest airports by departing passengers screened were Los Angeles International Airport (LAX, about 1.1 million), Orlando International Airport (MCO, about 911,000) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK, about 909,000). Among states, California led with about 3.3 million.

Which airports grew the most over Christmas and New Year 2021?

Among airports with at least 100,000 departing passengers screened in the year-earlier period, the largest gains were DCA (+208.6%), SFO (+207.3%), HNL (+204.0%), JFK (+151.1%) and LGA (+150.1%) and the largest declines HOU (+27.1%), FLL (+27.9%), MDW (+39.7%), DFW (+50.0%) and MCO (+52.3%).

How does Passenger Index define the Christmas and New Year travel period?

As December 20 through January 2 (14 days). The 2021 period ran Mon, Dec 20, 2021 – Sun, Jan 2, 2022 and is compared with Sun, Dec 20, 2020 – Sat, Jan 2, 2021 - the same calendar dates, so the mix of weekdays differs between the years.

When is the Christmas and New Year 2022 travel period?

Tue, Dec 20, 2022 – Mon, Jan 2, 2023. Passenger Index publishes airport and state results a few days after it ends, once TSA releases the checkpoint data.