HOUSTON — In a slight decrease from the previous year, the Transportation Security Administration said its agents intercepted 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints across the United States in 2024.
Despite an increase in passenger volume, it’s a minor drop from the 6,737 firearms stopped in 2023.
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There were 272 guns found at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the third-most out of all U.S. airports. There were 440 found at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and 390 found at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske emphasized the severity of the issue.
“One firearm at a checkpoint is too many,” he said. “Firearms present a safety risk for our employees and everyone else at the checkpoint. It’s also costly and slows down operations. If individuals who carry a firearm intend to travel, we remind them that the firearm must be unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case, declared to the airline at the check-in counter and transported in checked baggage.”
Some key points from the 2024 data:
- 94% of intercepted firearms were loaded
- TSA screened over 904 million passengers
- The rate of firearm interceptions decreased to 7.4 per million passengers, down from 7.8 in 2023
The consequences of bringing a firearm to a TSA checkpoint are severe. Violators face:
- A maximum civil penalty of $14,950
- Revocation of TSA PreCheck® eligibility for at least five years
- Potential arrest or citation by local law enforcement
Enhanced screening procedures
TSA continues to promote its “Prepare, Pack, Declare” campaign to educate travelers on proper firearm transportation procedures. Passengers intending to travel with firearms must make sure they are unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case, declared to the airline and transported in checked baggage only.