Passenger Index / Holiday travel / Christmas and New Year 2023

Christmas and New Year 2023 air travel: how US airports and states did

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

TSA screened 34,685,378 passengers nationwide over the Christmas and New Year 2023 travel period (Wed, Dec 20, 2023 – Tue, Jan 2, 2024), up 14.8% from 30,205,987 over the same period a year earlier. The busiest day was Friday, December 22, with 2,775,193 screenings.

The busiest airports by departing passengers screened were John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK, about 1.4 million), Orlando International Airport (MCO, about 1.2 million) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD, about 1.1 million). Among states, Florida led with about 4.8 million.

Key facts

Travel period
TSA screenings
34,685,378 (+14.8% YoY)
Busiest day
: 2,775,193
Busiest airport
JFK, about 1.4 million

Day by day, nationwide

TSA checkpoint screenings each day of the Christmas and New Year 2023 travel period and the matching day a year earlier (TSA published totals, exact).
2023ScreenedYear earlierScreenedYoY
2,514,1712,216,373+13.4%
2,650,8112,428,528+9.2%
2,775,1932,366,608+17.3%
2,606,5772,096,506+24.3%
1,972,3091,834,551+7.5%
2,028,2661,800,463+12.7%
2,665,0342,218,145+20.1%
2,663,5172,178,719+22.3%
2,633,2642,153,682+22.3%
2,636,6052,178,433+21.0%
2,563,9622,383,422+7.6%
2,116,7151,935,413+9.4%
2,303,5072,046,950+12.5%
2,555,4472,368,194+7.9%

Biggest movers

Among airports with at least 100,000 departing passengers screened in the year-earlier period. Up most: BUR +43.4%, MKE +34.8%, DAL +34.4%, RSW +32.8%, MCI +30.7%. Down most: OGG -19.6%, SNA +0.7%, SJU +4.3%, HNL +4.9%, EWR +6.5%.

By state

Departing passengers screened over Christmas and New Year 2023, by state: sum of the state's airports with complete data, rounded to 3 significant figures.
StateDeparting screenedYoYBusiest airportAirports
Florida4.8 million+17.3%MCO18
California3.0 million+19.1%SFO21
Texas2.3 million+19.0%DFW24
New York1.6 million+13.7%JFK11
Illinois1.5 million+12.1%ORD9
Colorado1.1 million+11.6%DEN11
Georgia1.1 million+12.8%ATL8
Virginia1.1 million+13.4%IAD9
New Jersey1.0 million+7.3%EWR2
Arizona976,000+13.1%PHX5
Nevada951,000+9.7%LAS3
Washington863,000+14.9%SEA8
Massachusetts797,000+11.6%BOS3
Pennsylvania738,000+13.4%PHL9
Hawaii723,000-1.7%HNL5
Michigan653,000+17.4%DTW7
Minnesota557,000+14.6%MSP5
Missouri501,000+24.9%STL4
North Carolina430,000+22.4%RDU9
Utah422,000+13.1%SLC5
Oregon404,000+20.4%PDX4
Tennessee396,000+22.2%BNA3
Puerto Rico336,000+3.5%SJU3
Kentucky302,000+23.0%CVG5
Louisiana302,000+19.4%MSY7
Indiana256,000+23.0%IND4
South Carolina235,000+22.0%CHS6
Wisconsin220,000+23.4%MKE7
Ohio210,000+27.1%CMH3
Oklahoma160,000+23.1%OKC4
Connecticut158,000+11.0%BDL2
New Mexico129,000+31.1%ABQ4
Idaho127,000+13.7%BOI5
Montana125,000+12.4%BZN11
Alaska120,000+7.2%ANC5
Nebraska119,000+24.5%OMA6
Alabama107,000+27.4%BHM5
Iowa99,000+17.2%DSM4
Arkansas92,700+23.9%LIT4
Rhode Island78,900+25.6%PVD1
North Dakota52,900+11.2%FAR8
Guam51,100+20.2%GUM1
Maine45,700+18.6%PWM3
Mississippi45,200+22.4%JAN5
South Dakota43,800+14.2%FSD4
Kansas43,200+14.0%ICT6
U.S. Virgin Islands39,300+14.7%STT1
Wyoming30,900+3.9%JAC5
New Hampshire27,100+18.8%MHT1
Vermont22,200+2.1%BTV1
West Virginia14,900+14.5%CRW7
Northern Mariana Islands11,200+54.3%GSN1
Maryland2,370+3.9%SBY1

By airport

All 313 airports with complete TSA data on every day of both periods, ranked by departing passengers screened (3 significant figures).
#CodeAirportStateDeparting screenedYoY
1JFKJohn F. Kennedy International AirportNY1.4 million+11.0%
2MCOOrlando International AirportFL1.2 million+16.8%
3ORDChicago O'Hare International AirportIL1.1 million+8.7%
4MIAMiami International AirportFL1.1 million+14.9%
5ATLHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportGA1.0 million+11.8%
6EWRNewark Liberty International AirportNJ1.0 million+6.5%
7SFOSan Francisco International AirportCA944,000+11.3%
8DENDenver International AirportCO944,000+10.0%
9DFWDallas Fort Worth International AirportTX926,000+10.8%
10LASHarry Reid International AirportNV853,000+8.9%
11FLLFort Lauderdale-Hollywood International AirportFL818,000+16.1%
12PHXPhoenix Sky Harbor International AirportAZ817,000+12.6%
13BOSBoston Logan International AirportMA793,000+11.7%
14SEASeattle-Tacoma International AirportWA719,000+12.7%
15MSPMinneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportMN548,000+15.0%
16TPATampa International AirportFL535,000+20.3%
17DTWDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportMI519,000+14.6%
18SANSan Diego International AirportCA518,000+24.6%
19PHLPhiladelphia International AirportPA481,000+14.1%
20IADWashington Dulles International AirportVA437,000+11.4%
21AUSAustin-Bergstrom International AirportTX400,000+12.9%
22HNLDaniel K. Inouye International AirportHI399,000+4.9%
23DCARonald Reagan Washington National AirportVA397,000+13.9%
24SLCSalt Lake City International AirportUT394,000+12.0%
25BNANashville International AirportTN368,000+22.8%
26PDXPortland International AirportOR321,000+20.8%
27SJULuis Muñoz Marín International AirportPR304,000+4.3%
28MDWChicago Midway International AirportIL301,000+27.8%
29RDURaleigh-Durham International AirportNC294,000+26.6%
30RSWSouthwest Florida International AirportFL286,000+32.8%
31SMFSacramento International AirportCA260,000+25.9%
32MSYLouis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportLA254,000+20.4%
33DALDallas Love FieldTX251,000+34.4%
34SATSan Antonio International AirportTX247,000+29.6%
35STLSt. Louis Lambert International AirportMO243,000+20.6%
36SJCSan José Mineta International AirportCA239,000+22.9%
37MCIKansas City International AirportMO227,000+30.7%
38OAKOakland International AirportCA227,000+25.1%
39PBIPalm Beach International AirportFL224,000+21.2%
40INDIndianapolis International AirportIN211,000+25.5%
41HOUWilliam P. Hobby AirportTX209,000+28.6%
42SNAJohn Wayne AirportCA203,000+0.7%
43PITPittsburgh International AirportPA186,000+13.1%
44CVGCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International AirportKY182,000+21.3%
45CMHJohn Glenn Columbus International AirportOH170,000+27.0%
46JAXJacksonville International AirportFL160,000+18.6%
47ONTOntario International AirportCA144,000+25.4%
48BURHollywood Burbank AirportCA144,000+43.4%
49MKEMilwaukee Mitchell International AirportWI141,000+34.8%
50BDLBradley International AirportCT132,000+13.3%
51OGGKahului AirportHI128,000-19.6%
52ABQAlbuquerque International SunportNM121,000+32.6%
53SRQSarasota Bradenton International AirportFL115,000+15.0%
54CHSCharleston International AirportSC114,000+17.2%
55OMAEppley AirfieldNE110,000+26.6%
56BOIBoise AirportID104,000+14.0%
57RICRichmond International AirportVA102,000+17.2%
58ORFNorfolk International AirportVA101,000+19.1%
59TUSTucson International AirportAZ101,000+28.7%
60RNOReno-Tahoe International AirportNV97,400+17.6%
61GRRGerald R. Ford International AirportMI94,700+35.5%
62ELPEl Paso International AirportTX94,600+18.8%
63KOAEllison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole AirportHI94,600+5.3%
64SDFLouisville Muhammad Ali International AirportKY92,600+29.2%
65OKCWill Rogers International AirportOK89,800+22.9%
66PSPPalm Springs International AirportCA89,200+6.2%
67GEGSpokane International AirportWA86,800+23.0%
68ANCTed Stevens Anchorage International AirportAK82,400+5.8%
69LGBLong Beach (Daugherty Field)CA82,400+66.6%
70PVDRhode Island T. F. Green International AirportRI78,900+25.6%
71SFBOrlando Sanford International AirportFL74,400+8.9%
72LIHLihue AirportHI71,700-3.6%
73SAVSavannah/Hilton Head International AirportGA70,400+30.9%
74TULTulsa International AirportOK66,700+23.7%
75DSMDes Moines International AirportIA64,600+17.0%
76SYRSyracuse Hancock International AirportNY62,200+21.8%
77BHMBirmingham-Shuttlesworth International AirportAL60,900+30.6%
78ALBAlbany International AirportNY60,400+23.2%
79PIESt Pete-Clearwater International AirportFL60,300+2.4%
80FATFresno Yosemite International AirportCA58,700+34.6%
81BZNBozeman Yellowstone International AirportMT58,500+16.8%
82PNSPensacola International AirportFL58,100+26.2%
83COSCity Of Colorado Springs Municipal AirportCO56,500+49.7%
84ROCFrederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International AirportNY56,200+21.2%
85HPNWestchester County AirportNY54,400+19.7%
86IWAPhoenix-Mesa Gateway AirportAZ54,200-2.2%
87PGDPunta Gorda AirportFL51,200-1.5%
88GUMGuam International AirportGU51,100+20.2%
89AVLAsheville Regional AirportNC49,600+19.6%
90GSPGreenville Spartanburg International AirportSC48,300+25.9%
91LITBill and Hillary Clinton National/Adams FieldAR48,200+19.5%
92MYRMyrtle Beach International AirportSC47,400+31.2%
93ISPLong Island Mac Arthur AirportNY43,800+82.1%
94XNANorthwest Arkansas National AirportAR39,900+28.9%
95MSNDane County Regional/Truax FieldWI39,400+3.7%
96STTCyril E King AirportVI39,300+14.7%
97EYWKey West International AirportFL37,000+17.0%
98ICTWichita Dwight D Eisenhower National AirportKS36,600+15.4%
99GSOPiedmont Triad International AirportNC34,700+8.5%
100EUGMahlon Sweet FieldOR34,600+14.1%
101PWMPortland International JetportME34,400+22.9%
102CIDThe Eastern Iowa AirportIA32,800+17.6%
103MDTHarrisburg International AirportPA31,300+4.1%
104MAFMidland International Air And Space Port AirportTX31,000+42.9%
105ITOHilo International AirportHI30,100-5.1%
106FSDJoe Foss FieldSD29,100+15.5%
107JANJackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International AirportMS28,200+24.5%
108SGFSpringfield-Branson National AirportMO27,800+21.5%
109MHTManchester Boston Regional AirportNH27,100+18.8%
110HRLValley International AirportTX27,000+58.5%
111SBASanta Barbara Municipal AirportCA26,800+17.3%
112ECPNorthwest Florida Beaches International AirportFL26,700+25.9%
113RDMRoberts FieldOR26,500+23.6%
114LEXBlue Grass AirportKY26,400+16.0%
115HSVHuntsville International-Carl T Jones FieldAL26,000+21.8%
116ILMWilmington International AirportNC25,900+8.4%
117HVNTweed/New Haven AirportCT25,600+0.3%
118MFEMc Allen Miller International AirportTX25,400+17.4%
119LBBLubbock Preston Smith International AirportTX24,200+41.0%
120JACJackson Hole AirportWY24,000-2.1%
121DAYJames M Cox Dayton International AirportOH23,700+14.1%
122ABELehigh Valley International AirportPA23,600+24.2%
123FARHector International AirportND23,500+3.8%
124BQNRafael Hernandez AirportPR23,200-7.3%
125FAIFairbanks International AirportAK23,200+18.1%
126ASEAspen-Pitkin County/Sardy FieldCO22,400+14.2%
127CAEColumbia Metropolitan AirportSC22,300+26.2%
128BTVBurlington International AirportVT22,200+2.1%
129EGEEagle County Regional AirportCO22,200+3.5%
130PVUProvo Municipal AirportUT22,100+35.4%
131ATWAppleton International AirportWI21,900+17.4%
132MFRRogue Valley International - Medford AirportOR21,900+21.2%
133PSCTri-Cities AirportWA20,300+26.5%
134HDNYampa Valley AirportCO19,700+9.1%
135SBNSouth Bend International AirportIN19,600+16.7%
136TLHTallahassee International AirportFL19,100+20.1%
137BILBillings Logan International AirportMT18,900+4.4%
138AMARick Husband Amarillo International AirportTX18,700+32.1%
139FWAFort Wayne International AirportIN18,000+7.2%
140CRPCorpus Christi International AirportTX17,700+35.5%
141MTJMontrose Regional AirportCO17,700+5.0%
142TTNTrenton Mercer AirportNJ17,400+84.7%
143CHALovell FieldTN17,300+12.9%
144MSOMissoula Montana AirportMT16,900+2.3%
145CAKAkron-Canton Regional AirportOH16,600+53.8%
146GPIGlacier Park International AirportMT16,500+8.3%
147PIAGeneral Downing - Peoria International AirportIL16,100+20.9%
148PAESnohomish County (Paine Field)WA15,900+59.9%
149FNTBishop International AirportMI15,900+14.3%
150BLIBellingham International AirportWA15,000+27.1%
151SBPSan Luis County Regional AirportCA15,000+14.0%
152GPTGulfport-Biloxi International AirportMS13,900+18.6%
153BTRBaton Rouge Metropolitan, Ryan FieldLA13,600+4.9%
154MLIQuad Cities International AirportIL13,600+16.9%
155ROARoanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field)VA13,400+8.2%
156RAPRapid City Regional AirportSD13,300+11.1%
157DABDaytona Beach International AirportFL13,300+13.9%
158MLBMelbourne Orlando International AirportFL13,200+15.4%
159STSCharles M Schulz - Sonoma County AirportCA13,000+7.5%
160SHVShreveport Regional AirportLA12,600+11.2%
161TVCCherry Capital AirportMI11,800+14.9%
162IDAIdaho Falls Regional AirportID11,700+7.0%
163MOBMobile Regional AirportAL11,700+24.8%
164BISBismarck Municipal AirportND11,500+1.8%
165GSNFrancisco C Ada/Saipan International AirportMP11,200+54.3%
166BGRBangor International AirportME11,200+8.0%
167GRBGreen Bay/Austin Straubel International AirportWI11,200-6.5%
168MRYMonterey Regional AirportCA10,700+19.4%
169CHOCharlottesville-Albemarle AirportVA10,600+24.2%
170GJTGrand Junction Regional AirportCO10,400+23.2%
171TRITri-Cities AirportTN10,400+16.8%
172GNVGainesville Regional AirportFL10,100+25.9%
173AGSAugusta Regional at Bush FieldGA9,930+6.5%
174LFTLafayette Regional/Paul Fournet FieldLA9,890+15.1%
175DRODurango-La Plata County AirportCO9,730+21.2%
176JNUJuneau International AirportAK9,590+0.8%
177BROBrownsville/South Padre Island International AirportTX9,320+115.8%
178PSEMercedita AirportPR8,930+7.8%
179JQFConcord-Padgett Regional AirportNC8,090+5.9%
180GTFGreat Falls International AirportMT7,980+20.5%
181BFLMeadows FieldCA7,960+17.4%
182MOTMinot International AirportND7,770+23.5%
183CRWWest Virginia International Yeager AirportWV7,500+17.5%
184AVPWilkes-Barre/Scranton International AirportPA7,490+12.4%
185BMICentral Illinois Regional/Bloomington-Normal AirportIL7,280-2.1%
186SUNFriedman Memorial AirportID7,220+3.1%
187BLVScott AFB/Midamerica St LouisIL7,190-6.4%
188FAYFayetteville Regional/Grannis FieldNC7,160+23.5%
189MGMMontgomery Regional (Dannelly Field)AL6,980+20.8%
190EVVEvansville Regional AirportIN6,850+13.0%
191ACVCalifornia Redwood Coast-Humboldt County AirportCA6,450+34.1%
192LRDLaredo International AirportTX6,160+29.7%
193PBGPlattsburgh International AirportNY6,130+24.0%
194OAJAlbert J Ellis AirportNC5,480+23.9%
195SGUSt George Regional AirportUT5,240+13.8%
196SAFSanta Fe Municipal AirportNM5,160+29.7%
197LNKLincoln AirportNE5,090+9.6%
198ABIAbilene Regional AirportTX4,580+73.8%
199UNVUniversity Park AirportPA4,580+16.4%
200ORHWorcester Regional AirportMA4,540-10.9%
201MLUMonroe Regional AirportLA4,400+28.6%
202GFKGrand Forks International AirportND4,350+6.8%
203LANCapital Region International AirportMI4,310+25.4%
204HLNHelena Regional AirportMT4,260+42.2%
205GUCGunnison-Crested Butte Regional AirportCO4,260+27.0%
206HTSTri-State/Milton J Ferguson FieldWV4,240+15.5%
207CWACentral Wisconsin AirportWI4,150+54.8%
208COUColumbia Regional AirportMO4,140+4.6%
209CPRCasper/Natrona County International AirportWY4,080+18.3%
210DLHDuluth International AirportMN4,070-18.6%
211AZOKalamazoo/Battle Creek International AirportMI4,030+30.4%
212AEXAlexandria International AirportLA4,010+7.9%
213GRKRobert Gray AAF AirportTX3,990+2.4%
214XWAWilliston Basin International AirportND3,970+96.9%
215RDDRedding Regional AirportCA3,920+15.6%
216MHKManhattan Regional AirportKS3,910-2.7%
217LCHLake Charles Regional AirportLA3,770+65.7%
218SCKStockton Metropolitan AirportCA3,580+7.0%
219RSTRochester International AirportMN3,550-3.3%
220MBSMBS International AirportMI3,530+23.8%
221ELMElmira/Corning Regional AirportNY3,330-1.2%
222SPIAbraham Lincoln Capital AirportIL3,320-15.0%
223KTNKetchikan International AirportAK3,310-4.1%
224GRICentral Nebraska Regional AirportNE3,220-6.0%
225CMIUniversity Of Illinois/Willard AirportIL3,150-12.0%
226NYLYuma MCAS/Yuma International AirportAZ3,130+18.8%
227PUWPullman/Moscow Regional AirportWA2,760-7.3%
228PHFNewport News/Williamsburg International AirportVA2,710-28.1%
229EWNCoastal Carolina Regional AirportNC2,640+31.2%
230ITHIthaca Tompkins International AirportNY2,640+51.7%
231LYHLynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn FieldVA2,530+6.4%
232LBEArnold Palmer Regional AirportPA2,460+9.7%
233FSMFort Smith Regional AirportAR2,380+15.2%
234CLLEasterwood FieldTX2,380+44.4%
235SBYSalisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional AirportMD2,370+3.9%
236LWSLewiston/Nez Perce County AirportID2,280+45.4%
237TYRTyler Pounds Regional AirportTX2,270+36.2%
238SJTSan Angelo Regional/Mathis FieldTX2,200-1.5%
239TXKTexarkana Regional-Webb FieldAR2,170+54.2%
240ACTWaco Regional AirportTX2,070+5.7%
241SITSitka Rocky Gutierrez AirportAK2,000+3.9%
242CKBNorth Central West Virginia AirportWV1,980-1.5%
243HXDHilton Head AirportSC1,950-14.2%
244YKMYakima Air Terminal/Mcallister FieldWA1,930n/a
245VLDValdosta Regional AirportGA1,880+60.6%
246CSGColumbus AirportGA1,790-26.6%
247LAWLawton-Fort Sill Regional AirportOK1,770+23.5%
248GTRGolden Triangle Regional AirportMS1,770+12.3%
249GGGEast Texas Regional AirportTX1,710n/a
250BQKBrunswick Golden Isles AirportGA1,710+65.9%
251DHNDothan Regional AirportAL1,680+56.9%
252ROWRoswell Air Center AirportNM1,640-30.7%
253PGVPitt-Greenville AirportNC1,620+33.9%
254GCKGarden City Regional AirportKS1,550+22.1%
255BPTJack Brooks Regional AirportTX1,520+12.6%
256LSELa Crosse Regional AirportWI1,500-19.9%
257ALWWalla Walla Regional AirportWA1,460n/a
258ABYSouthwest Georgia Regional AirportGA1,460+23.2%
259ERIErie International/Tom Ridge FieldPA1,420-47.5%
260SWOStillwater Regional AirportOK1,410+4.1%
261PIHPocatello Regional AirportID1,340n/a
262BJIBemidji Regional AirportMN1,270n/a
263GCCNortheast Wyoming Regional AirportWY1,250n/a
264HOBLea County Regional AirportNM1,220n/a
265FLOFlorence Regional AirportSC1,150n/a
266SPSSheppard AFB/Wichita Falls MunicipalTX1,110n/a
267SUXSioux Gateway/Brig General Bud Day FieldIA1,100n/a
268PRCPrescott Regional - Ernest A Love FieldAZ1,080n/a
269DIKDickinson/Theodore Roosevelt Regional AirportND1,040n/a
270RHIRhinelander/Oneida County AirportWI951n/a
271LARLaramie Regional AirportWY763n/a
272BTMBert Mooney AirportMT759n/a
273ATYWatertown Regional AirportSD753n/a
274JSTJohn Murtha Johnstown/Cambria County AirportPA749n/a
275RIWCentral Wyoming Regional AirportWY740n/a
276MEIKey FieldMS704n/a
277MCNMiddle Georgia Regional AirportGA650n/a
278ALOWaterloo Regional AirportIA620n/a
279PIRPierre Regional AirportSD603n/a
280EARKearney Regional AirportNE601n/a
281VELVernal Regional AirportUT588n/a
282VCTVictoria Regional AirportTX575n/a
283PIBHattiesburg/Laurel Regional AirportMS574n/a
284ALSSan Luis Valley Regional/Bergman FieldCO561n/a
285PAHBarkley Regional AirportKY531n/a
286EKOElko Regional AirportNV516n/a
287TVFThief River Falls Regional AirportMN481n/a
288MWAVeterans Airport Of Southern IllinoisIL480n/a
289HYSHays Regional AirportKS478n/a
290DVLDevils Lake Regional AirportND398n/a
291LBLLiberal Mid-America Regional AirportKS380n/a
292LWBGreenbrier Valley AirportWV376n/a
293SDYSidney-Richland Regional AirportMT372n/a
294JMSJamestown Regional AirportND371n/a
295PKBMid-Ohio Valley Regional AirportWV370n/a
296CEZCortez Municipal AirportCO363n/a
297SHDShenandoah Valley Regional AirportVA345n/a
298OWBOwensboro/Daviess County Regional AirportKY332n/a
299CNYCanyonlands Regional AirportUT321n/a
300DDCDodge City Regional AirportKS301n/a
301IPLImperial County AirportCA263n/a
302MGWMorgantown Municipal (Walter L Bill Hart Field)WV249n/a
303MSSMassena International-Richards FieldNY189n/a
304SLKAdirondack Regional AirportNY175n/a
305AIAAlliance Municipal AirportNE169n/a
306RKDKnox County Regional AirportME153n/a
307OLFL M Clayton AirportMT149n/a
308BKWRaleigh County Memorial AirportWV144n/a
309HVRHavre City-County AirportMT135n/a
310MCKMc Cook Ben Nelson Regional AirportNE118n/a
311GGWWokal Field/Glasgow-Valley CountyMT118n/a
312MCEMerced Regional/Macready FieldCA103n/a
313HYACape Cod Gateway AirportMA78n/a

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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 (313 of 414 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 2023 air travel: how US airports and states did", https://passengerindex.com/web/holidays/christmas-new-year-2023/ (CC BY 4.0).

Frequently asked questions

How many people flew over Christmas and New Year 2023?

TSA screened 34,685,378 passengers nationwide over the Christmas and New Year 2023 travel period (Wed, Dec 20, 2023 – Tue, Jan 2, 2024), up 14.8% from 30,205,987 over the same period a year earlier. The busiest day was Friday, December 22, with 2,775,193 screenings.

What was the busiest airport over Christmas and New Year 2023?

The busiest airports by departing passengers screened were John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK, about 1.4 million), Orlando International Airport (MCO, about 1.2 million) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD, about 1.1 million). Among states, Florida led with about 4.8 million.

Which airports grew the most over Christmas and New Year 2023?

Among airports with at least 100,000 departing passengers screened in the year-earlier period, the largest gains were BUR (+43.4%), MKE (+34.8%), DAL (+34.4%), RSW (+32.8%) and MCI (+30.7%) and the largest declines OGG (-19.6%), SNA (+0.7%), SJU (+4.3%), HNL (+4.9%) and EWR (+6.5%).

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

As December 20 through January 2 (14 days). The 2023 period ran Wed, Dec 20, 2023 – Tue, Jan 2, 2024 and is compared with Tue, Dec 20, 2022 – Mon, Jan 2, 2023 - the same calendar dates, so the mix of weekdays differs between the years.

When is the Christmas and New Year 2024 travel period?

Fri, Dec 20, 2024 – Thu, Jan 2, 2025. Passenger Index publishes airport and state results a few days after it ends, once TSA releases the checkpoint data.