Can you guess how many firearms were found at airport checkpoints in 2024?
The answer should be zero. After all, it is against federal law to bring a loaded or unloaded firearm to and through an airport checkpoint. But in 2024, Transportation Security Administration officers discovered 6,678 firearms at airport checkpoints around the country. Most — 94% — of the firearms found were loaded and were discovered in …
The answer should be zero.
After all, it is against federal law to bring a loaded or unloaded firearm to and through an airport checkpoint.
But in 2024, Transportation Security Administration officers discovered 6,678 firearms at airport checkpoints around the country. Most — 94% — of the firearms found were loaded and were discovered in passengers’ carry-on luggage, in personal belongings, on passengers and even hidden inside some baby strollers.
While the number is alarming, it’s not like everyone showed up at airports with guns last year. The agency screened more than 904 million passengers in 2024, so the total number of firearms found comes out to about 18.2 firearms “found” each day of the year and 7.4 firearms per million passengers screened.
The total number of firearms found at airport checkpoints has risen steadily since at least 2008, with a big decline in 2020 reflecting limited travel during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the 2024 total of 6,678 firearms represents a minor decrease from the 6,737 firearms the TSA found in 2023.
The TSA’s “Prepare, Pack, Declare” public awareness campaign explaining the steps for safely traveling with a firearm may be doing some good. The agency’s sometimes cheeky social media posts that show off the myriad firearms “caught” at airports might have also helped.
Repeat after us:
