May 10, 2021 – BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport Experiences Milestones in Recovery of Passenger Traffic

May 7 Marks Busiest Day at BWI Marshall for Departing Passengers in More Than a Year; April Departing Passenger Traffic Up 1,312% Over Last Year

On Friday, May 7, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport experienced its busiest day for departing passengers since the start of Maryland’s COVID-19 State of Emergency. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 21,742 departing passengers Friday at BWI Marshall Airport.

The Friday total at BWI Marshall was part of a four-day stretch from Thursday through Sunday that also marked a pandemic-era high at the airport, with 80,993 departing passengers recorded by TSA for the period. Thursday’s tally was 21,738 outbound travelers, while Saturday and Sunday saw 17,584 and 19,929, respectively. Nationwide, the TSA screened more than 1.7 million travelers at airports on May 9, the highest daily number since the beginning of the pandemic.

“As vaccination rates climb, Americans are eager to travel,” said Ricky Smith, Executive Director for BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. “We expect passenger growth to accelerate in coming months. The airport and our partners remain focused on providing healthy, safe travel for our customers.”

The numbers reflect continued recovery of passenger traffic at BWI Marshall, and follows TSA’s April total of 502,153 departing passengers at the airport – up 1,312% compared to April 2020 numbers when the global pandemic was having its greatest impact on air travel. During that April 2020 low point, passenger traffic at BWI Marshall had been down 96% compared to the previous year.

BWI Marshall Airport continues to monitor travel conditions and work to ensure services and amenities for customers. Seventy-one percent of airport food and retail concessions are now open. Last month, BWI Marshall Airport reopened its Long Term A Parking lot. As more people return to air travel, BWI Marshall remains the busiest airport in the region.

“Our team and our partners at BWI Marshall Airport are responding quickly – and with the utmost focus on safety – as air travelers return to the skies,” said MDOT Secretary Greg Slater. “The numbers we’re seeing reflect customers’ confidence in the comfortable, efficient service they receive from our airport and our carriers. That support motivates us every day.”

The entire BWI Marshall Airport community is focused on safe and healthy travel. Customers are reminded that masks or face coverings are required in the airport terminal. Only ticketed passengers and employees are permitted in the terminal at this time. Other health and safety initiatives at BWI Marshall include enhanced cleaning and sanitation; hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the terminal; protective barriers at security checkpoints, ticket counters and information desks; and physical distance markers in high-traffic areas. Health information is provided on information displays and overhead announcements.

For more on BWI Marshall’s COVID-19 recovery, see https://BWIairport.com/COVID19.

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