Last Year A Record Number Of Firearms Were Discovered At Airport Security Checkpoints
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 17, 2024

Last Year A Record Number Of Firearms Were Discovered At Airport Security Checkpoints

When a firearm is discovered at a security checkpoint, agents contact local law enforcement, and the gun and the passenger are removed.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released an alarming figure regarding firearms being taken to U.S. airports in 2023.

Last year, TSA discovered a total of 6,737 firearms at airport security checkpoints. The weapons were screened before passengers were allowed in airports and aboard flights. The agency also stated that out of the firearms recovered at the checkpoints, 93% of them were loaded with ammunition. Last year’s total number of weapons found set a record that surpassed the previous year’s high of 6,542 firearms stopped at checkpoints.

“We are still seeing far too many firearms at TSA checkpoints, and what’s particularly concerning is the amount of them loaded, presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a written statement. “Firearms and ammunition are strictly prohibited in carry-on baggage. Passengers are only allowed to travel with an unloaded firearm if they pack it properly in a locked, hard-sided case in their checked baggage and first declare it to the airline at the check-in counter.”

The data collected by the agency reveals that 6,737 firearms were discovered across 265 airports. The top 10 airports with the most firearms recovered were:

  1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – 451 seizures
  2. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – 378
  3. Intercontinental Airport of Houston – 311
  4. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – 235
  5. Nashville International Airport – 188
  6. Denver International Airport – 178
  7. Orlando International Airport – 164
  8. Tampa International Airport – 144
  9. Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport – 135
  10. Dallas Love Field – 125

When a firearm is discovered at a security checkpoint, agents contact local law enforcement, and the gun and the passenger are removed. Depending on the jurisdiction, the passenger may be arrested and cited by local authorities. TSA does institute penalties on passengers, which may include a fine of up to approximately $15,000, and TSA PreCheck® eligibility being revoked for at least five years. They may also conduct enhanced screening to ensure no other threats are present.


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