LAX, other airports brace for Fourth of July crush
TSA expects to screen 28 million passengers over 11-day period, a 5.4% jump from 2023.
Los Angeles International Airport and other area airports are preparing for a crush of airline passengers, with last Friday kicking off the busy Fourth of July travel season.
The Transportation Security Administration said it anticipated screening more than 28 million passengers nationwide between Friday, June 28, and Monday, July 8. That would mark a 5.4% increase over last year.
Thursday was the fifthbusiest day in TSA history, with security officers processing 2.92 million passengers. That tally barely surpassed the 2.91 million travelers screened on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2023.
LAX is expected to screen about 900,000 people between July 1 and July 8, according to TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers. She said the airport’s anticipated busiest day will be Wednesday, when an estimated 119,000 people are expected to travel. July 8 is expected to be nearly as busy with 118,000 people.
The lightest day is projected to be Thursday, with 100,000 travelers.
TSA is “fully staffed” and prepared for the increase, Dankers said.
“TSA has been planning for this holiday period for months and operations are going very smoothly at LAX,” Dankers said in an email.
She added, “While [our] security screening officers will be working hard during the Fourth of July holiday, we are confident that travelers departing LAX will experience a smooth and efficient security screening experience.”
TSA said wait time standards are 10 minutes and under in TSA PreCheck lanes and 30 minutes and under at regular screening lanes.
TSA is also expecting Friday and Sunday to be the two busiest days of the travel cycle, with more than 3 million people traveling through 434 airports.
The uptick in travelers reflects the continuing growth in air travel since COVID-19 health restrictions were lifted.
Officials at Ontario International Airport are expecting a 10.3% increase in travel between Tuesday and Sunday.
That translates into approximately 117,805 visitors moving through the airport.
Ontario airport is still asking passengers to arrive two hours before departure for domestic flights and three hours for international departures. Parking should also be reserved in advance.
Long Beach Airport did not release projections for the Fourth of July. The hub, however, is coming off a record-breaking May.
A new all-time high of 189,435 travelers passed through its doors that month, surpassing the airport’s previous best of 182,382 in March.
“LGB’s unwavering dedication to delivering easygoing, first-class service exceeds expectations for travelers and fuels economic growth and prosperity for our region,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement.
The transportation hub is preparing to deal with the holiday rush by increasing staffing along the curbs and crosswalks to keep traffic flowing, public affairs officer Kate Kuykendall said. Other enhancements include the addition of a temporary cellphone waiting lot and special accommodations for large groups.
“Although this is a very busy time for our airport, we are proud to offer the most easygoing and convenient passenger experience in the region,” Kuykendall said.
Hollywood Burbank Airport did not release projections for the Fourth of July.
The airport’s most up-todate figures saw a slight increase in travel for April, with 508,043 passengers. That was a bump of just under 1,500 travelers from the same time last year.
Orange County’s John Wayne Airport also did not offer any projections for the Independence Day travel season. Unlike its counterparts, it saw a dip in travel in May. The airport serviced 950,740 passengers in May, marking an 8.7% decrease compared with May 2023 (1,041,342).