![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5otTdZP7EYb7Wm2l-48jSbS9bQ7rJZfTAqLlQIHv7JlHQqwsHxPwv4tR6PeNezC7SxbSIB2SeWHXdpccWR9cB15AQxFJwXQpA-il-gR7_uXajX7gN5LrK6-mKoMGLqKZkSxgPN6aHnUz2EjG0b4msxmKQUYlUog6iIlr8M9-3qm8tCDdFwB-w_sXPSQ/s16000/AeroNewsJournal_post_270523_01.png)
The Transportation Security Administration screened 2.658 million passengers on Thursday, the highest number since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as U.S. holiday travel got off to a smooth start.
"So far so good," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNBC on Friday. Despite the record travel Thursday "the system held up quite well," Buttigieg added noting less than 1% of flights were canceled Thursday. The number of passengers screened Thursday was the highest for a single day since November 2019.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimated more than 51,000 flights would take place Thursday, the highest number during the seven-day Memorial Day travel period. The FAA estimates that there will be about 4.5% more flights during the period versus 2022 but slightly less than in 2019.
Airlines are in many cases operating larger planes today as they have trimmed flights -- especially in New York -- to smooth operations.