TSA sees record number of passengers at Atlanta airport checkpoints

Credit: John Spink

Credit: John Spink

On Thursday morning, as the Memorial Day holiday travel period ramped up, 33,000 passengers passed through TSA checkpoints as of 8 a.m., which was also a record for morning volumes.

Airport officials advise travelers to arrive at the airport at least 2 to 2.5 hours before departure.

Wait times for security checks were moderate Friday morning, reaching about 12 minutes at the North checkpoint around 6 a.m., according to airport estimates.

But during some of the busiest periods, wait times can reach 50 minutes.

The TSA has increased its staffing early in the morning and is adding more agents in an effort to keep lines under control.

Officials have worked to reduce long wait times at security checkpoints with the TSA, according to Hartsfield-Jackson General Manager Balram Bheodari.

Credit: John Spink

Credit: John Spink

He said the airport has received a commitment from the TSA to increase its workforce with 80 additional full-time equivalent employees in Atlanta.

As security checkpoints process record traffic, even more people are passing through the Atlanta airport when you count connecting passengers in the concourses. More than 350,000 passengers are expected to pass through Hartsfield-Jackson on Friday.

While Thursday and Friday are already busy, Monday will also bring large passenger volumes to the airport.