TSA: Holiday travel season starts soon. Here’s how to cut down on the security wait

Nov 19, 2024, 8:00 PM

TSA spokesperson, Lorie Dankers, demonstrates part of the process as new screening machines at the Salt Lake International Airport are now open and running for the holiday travelers, on Tuesday Nov. 19, 2024. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

BY KARAH BRACKIN, KSLTV.COM

KSLNewsRadio

SALT LAKE CITY — Across the country, people are packing their bags and getting ready to kick off holiday travel with Thanksgiving just over a week away.

The Transportation Security Administration is preparing to screen some 18.3 million travelers across the U.S. on the week of the holiday. In Salt Lake City alone, TSA expects to see over 200,000 passengers over that time.

The busy period starts Tuesday, Nov. 26, and is expected to last through Monday, Dec. 2. TSA expects the busiest times in the mornings to run from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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This year, TSA at Salt Lake City International Airport will be equipped with three new body scanners called “CAT-2” units. The scanners offer a more open design and use “millimeter wave technology” to detect prohibited items. Only a handful of airports across the U.S. have them.

“It’s there for the traveler to see, so they’ll know if there is something on their arm or on their leg that needs that follow-up screening, which certainly helps with the process,” said Lorie Dankers, TSA Public Affairs.

Before getting to the airport, travelers are encouraged to plan their holiday food haul ahead of time, to be sure they don’t have to leave anything behind.

A good rule of thumb is to bring solid foods. Holiday cookies will probably make it through the checkpoint in a carry-on. If the food in question is a liquid and bigger than 3.4 ounces, it should be in a checked bag.

“If it’s something like a gravy, salsas, sauces; yes, even cranberry sauce,” Dankers said, “they need to adhere to the TSA liquids rule.”