SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says March was the fifth–business month for the number of passengers screened at its checkpoint since 2005 at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR).
TSA officers screened 140,790 individuals at the Syracuse airport–security checkpoint last month.
Besides its standing as the fifth busiest month ever for screening of passengers, TSA says it was also the most passengers screened during the month of March since 2005 when officers screened 126,319 people.
“So far this year, the passenger volume coming through our security checkpoint has been the busiest that we have seen in about 20 years,” Bart Johnson, TSA’s federal security director for Upstate New York, said in the announcement. “Our officers remain focused on the mission. Additionally, we are appreciative of travelers who arrive at the checkpoint prepared to go through the screening process.”
Top Five busiest months at SYR
| Rank | Month | TSA checkpoint volume |
| 1 | October 2023 | 148,474 |
| 2 | August 2023 | 146,333 |
| 3 | July 2023 | 143,001 |
| 4 | July 2005 | 142,937 |
| 5 | March 2024 | 140,790 |
The TSA also notes that a busier checkpoint is “exactly why” travelers should plan to arrive at the terminal well before their flight. More travelers means that it will take just a little longer to park a car, return a rental car, and check bags before getting to the security line.
“As SYR traffic swells to unprecedented levels, we have an even deeper appreciation for the vital role our federal partners at TSA play in ensuring the security of the National Airspace System,” Jason Terreri, executive director of the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA), said in the TSA announcement. “To ensure the best customer experience possible, travelers should plan to arrive to the airport two hours prior to their scheduled departure.”
TSA also used its announcement to remind travelers that they can also enroll in the TSA PreCheck program. It’s an expedited screening program enabling low-risk travelers to “enjoy a secure and efficient screening experience” at more than 200 U.S. state and territory airports.
A TSA PreCheck enrollment center is located on the ground floor/Level 1 of the SYR terminal near entrance A.