Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson sets 2025 TSA screening record as checkpoint technology upgrades expand across terminals

Record checkpoint volume marks new pressure point for the nation’s busiest airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport screened a record 30.1 million travelers through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints in 2025, crossing the 30-million threshold for the first time on record. The checkpoint figure measures passengers processed at security screening points rather than the airport’s full annual passenger traffic, which includes connecting flows and international arrivals that may not be captured in the same way.

The airport had not yet released its total 2025 passenger count at the time the checkpoint record was identified. For context, airport officials previously reported 108.1 million passengers traveled through Hartsfield-Jackson in 2024, the second-highest annual total in the airport’s history and just below its 2019 high of 110 million.

What the TSA record suggests—and what it does not

The 30.1 million figure reflects the scale of departing and connecting passengers who pass through TSA screening, and it underscores how small shifts in staffing, scheduling disruptions, or equipment downtime can quickly translate into long lines at high-volume airports. Hartsfield-Jackson’s role as a major hub—especially for Delta Air Lines—concentrates demand into peak banks of departures that can amplify congestion when operations become irregular.

Airport data tracking in the Domestic terminal has shown that over a recent two-month period, checkpoint waits exceeded 10 minutes a minority of the time across both TSA PreCheck and standard lanes during core operating hours, indicating that high throughput can coincide with generally manageable waits—but with limited margin when conditions deteriorate.

Technology changes underway at ATL checkpoints

To increase throughput and reduce secondary screening, TSA and airport leadership have been rolling out equipment changes at ATL. New Rohde & Schwarz body scanners began operating in Atlanta in December 2025, with additional units scheduled for installation through the end of March. The units are designed to reduce false alarms and speed processing by using a configuration that allows passengers to keep their arms down during screening.

Separately, e-gates have been introduced at the International terminal checkpoint to reduce manual officer workload. Private-sector screening programs have also been expanding the use of automated gates at select lanes, reflecting broader efforts to streamline identity and document checks before passengers proceed to physical screening.

Broader shifts in TSA screening as travel demand rises

Nationally, TSA has continued to modernize checkpoint procedures as passenger volumes recover and grow. In 2025, TSA ended the long-standing requirement for most travelers to remove shoes during standard screening, while maintaining the option for additional screening when alarms or other factors require it. The agency has framed these changes as a combination of improved equipment capability and process redesign.

• 2025 TSA checkpoint screening at ATL: 30.1 million passengers (record)
• 2024 total ATL passengers reported by airport officials: 108.1 million
• Ongoing ATL checkpoint upgrades: new body scanners, e-gates and expanded automation

With rising demand and limited room to expand physical checkpoint space, ATL’s strategy increasingly centers on higher-speed screening technology and workflow changes to sustain throughput.