The Transportation Security Administration found 6,737 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2023, the highest number ever recorded in a single year, the TSA announced on Wednesday.
The previous record for the number of guns found at airport security was 6,542, set the previous year.
However, this past year the TSA screened more than 858 million individuals, which means the agency intercepted 7.8 firearms per million passengers, a decrease from 8.6 per million passengers in 2022.
“We are still seeing far too many firearms at TSA checkpoints, and what’s particularly concerning is the amount of them loaded [about 93%], presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “Firearms and ammunition are strictly prohibited in carry-on baggage. Passengers are only allowed to travel with an unloaded firearm, and only 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.”
More than 1,100 guns were found at just three airports, according to TSA data. The highest number of guns were found at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where 451 firearms were discovered. The second-highest number were found at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, with 378, followed by Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, with 311.
Although the TSA said it does not confiscate firearms, it does contact local law enforcement agencies to take passengers and guns away from checkpoints. It is then up to local authorities to decide whether people will be arrested or cited.
Those who bring guns to checkpoints face a fine of up to $14,950 and lose eligibility in the expedited screening program for at least five years, the agency said.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.