Every day, nearly three million passengers safely fly in and out of U.S. airports. The aviation industry continues to offer the safest mode of transport and is committed to safety and security at every step of the journey—from the plane you fly on to the technology that TSA uses to verify and safeguard your identity.
Why it matters: Robust travel is essential to economic growth, global competitiveness and job creation in communities nationwide. In 2023, travelers in the United States directly spent $1.3 trillion, producing an economic footprint of $2.8 trillion and supporting more than 15 million American jobs.
As we prepare for what TSA is saying will likely be the busiest season on record—with an anticipated 10% surge in passenger volume—our air travel partners are prioritizing every aspect of the journey, to ensure your travel from Point A to Point B goes off without a hitch.
- With high expectations for travel this summer, travelers will benefit from the innovative screening technologies that TSA has in place—including facial recognition and TSA PreCheck.
- These technologies enhance security and efficiency in airports nationwide and abroad, as demonstrated by recent site visits conducted with the Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, a group of experts focused on increasing U.S. competitiveness and improving government focus on travel issues.
The good news: Congress recently passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024—a critical step towards modernizing our air travel system.
What’s included:
- Increased air traffic control staffing
- Investments to modernize air traffic control technology
- Expanded workforce development grants for pilots, mechanics and manufacturers
- Increased funding and flexibility for airport improvement grants
This five-year FAA reauthorization bill is the result of two years of aggressive lobbying, media and grassroots advocacy from U.S. Travel, our members and the broader aviation community.
However, a recent proposal in Congress by Senators Merkley and Kennedy sought to limit the use and expansion of automated facial recognition technology at airport checkpoints, resulting in travelers waiting an additional 120 million hours in TSA lines each year by significantly slowing both TSA PreCheck and standard screening lanes.
- In May, the industry came together to stop this harmful amendment from being included in the FAA bill—legislation that would have restricted TSA’s use of facial recognition technology, undermined national security and slowed checkpoint screening. While the amendment is off the table for now, it is likely that we will have to confront it again in the coming months.
Please be on the lookout for continued opportunities to engage with U.S. Travel’s work as we seek to educate members of Congress on the benefits of expanded facial recognition technology—with the goal of ensuring provisions like the Merkley amendment don’t continue to threaten progress.
Help us keep travel moving forward.
