U.S.Travel

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More than 3 million pass through US airport security in a day for the first time as travel surges

More than 3 million people passed through U.S. airport security on Sunday, the first time that number of passengers have been screened in a single day as travel surges, according to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

https://apnews.com/article/summer-travel-airlines-tsa-bbd1f1dfb4b83466f66954134db8684a?

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Americans jetting overseas

Data: International Trade Administration. Chart: Sara Wise/Axios ✈️ Americans' craving for travel overseas is soaring to new heights, Axios' Avery Lotz writes. Why it matters: Much like the resilient consumer, the American tourist keeps on riding the post-COVID travel wave. 🔢 By the numbers: More than 56 million U.S. residents traveled overseas last year, according to estimates from the International Trade Administration. That's up from roughly 53.7 million in 2024 and around 32.7 million a decade prior. 🌍 Nearly 24 million traveled to Europe, a record high, according to Survey of International Air Travelers (SIAT) data going back to 2012. 🇬🇧 Where did most people visit? The U.K., Italy or France. 🇵🇹 Portugal and Greece also saw the biggest growth in U.S. visits between 2015 and 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported. 🔬 Zoom in: The wealthiest income bracket is driving overseas travel — followed by those with a combined household income of $100,000 to $119,000. Older travelers, in the 55-64 age range and above, led the pack, followed by the youngest jet-setters, aged 18-24. 💡 Zoom out: This is all happening as debt delays life milestones, affordability concerns sour sentiment and global perceptions of the U.S. slip. Still, people feel the need to hit the road and see the world. Rich Harrill, the director of the University of South Carolina's International Tourism Research Institute, tells Axios: "Among my students, travel's a must-have. You're not cool unless you go somewhere." Explore the data ...

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Book that solo trip

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Traveling alone is having a moment: More people are comfortable booking adventures without their friends, family or partners, Axios Richmond's Sabrina Moreno reports. Google searches for "solo travel" hit a record high this year as more people embrace the freedom of going wherever they want, whenever they want — without waiting for someone else to align their time off. ✈️ By the numbers: In Hostelworld's recent survey of 3,300 solo travelers, 64% said freedom and spontaneity were among the best parts of traveling alone. Solo doesn't necessarily mean lonely: 58% said they wanted to meet new people while traveling, up from 43% in 2024. 63% of first-time solo travelers said they planned to do it again. (Explore the results.) 🎒 Younger travelers are driving much of the boom. Yet tour operators like Collette see growing demand from older travelers, particularly women 50 and over. Some couples are even vacationing separately, per The New York Times, which profiled spouses who happily take trips apart (gift link). 💭 Sabrina's thought bubble: I've solo traveled for the past five years. My company along the way has included a 75-year-old in Iceland who was a week from hiking Kilimanjaro and a cow named Tulip on a farm in Bedford, Va. Go deeper.