A TSA worker assists travelers through security at BWI Airport on March 30, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
With the summer travel season right around the corner, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are bracing for one of the busier parts of the year. On top of that, not only will the regular surge of vacation travelers be passing through their checkpoints, so will all the people planning on attending World Cup matches and America 250 celebrations.
What they're saying:
To start the season, TSA agents expect to screen 18.3 million passengers and crew in the week between Thursday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 27, but agency officials are assuring the public that they are ready for the coming days – and the coming months.
"Our TSA teams are completely staffed, so passengers should experience minimal wait times and have an enjoyable trip through our airports and on to their travel destinations," TSA Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator Ha McNeill said.
World Cup & America 250
TSA officials point out the FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 and will have people, many of whom are visiting the United States for the tournament, crisscrossing the nation to the 11 stadiums hosting matches. They estimate approximately six million people will be coming from around the world and going through their lines.
In the midst of the World Cup, even more passengers will hit the road, hop the train, and take to the air for one of the biggest birthday celebrations in American history. The TSA noted that the agency has teamed up with federal, state, and local law enforcement to protect travelers and help with security at some of the biggest events happening across the country.
What you can do:
The TSA offered some advice for travelers to make sure an issue at a checkpoint does not interrupt their planned trip. Some of the tips include:
- Have a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification, such as a passport, at an airport checkpointPassengers 18 and older are required to have a TSA-accepted form of ID.Those without a proper ID can pay $45 to use TSA ConfirmID
- Passengers 18 and older are required to have a TSA-accepted form of ID.
- Those without a proper ID can pay $45 to use TSA ConfirmID
- The TSA reminded fliers that its TSA PreCheck, which requires a paid membership, can help reduce the time spent waiting in line. Travelers 30 and under can save $20 on a five-year membership during the month of May, it added.
- To ensure your carry-on bags comply with TSA regulations, you can text 275-872 (AskTSA) or find more detailed information on the TSA website.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the Transportation Security Administration. This story was reported from Orlando.