Travelers Urged to Arrive Early as McGhee Tyson Airport Faces Holiday Rush

As thousands of people travel for Christmas and New Year’s, McGhee Tyson Airport is preparing for long lines and high passenger volumes.

Mark Howell, a TSA regional spokesperson, shared that the airport expects between 6,000 and 7,000 people to pass through its checkpoints daily, an 18% increase compared to last year. To avoid delays, Howell advises passengers to arrive two hours before their flight’s departure time.

The TSA’s goal is to keep wait times under 30 minutes for standard screenings and 15 minutes or less for TSA PreCheck. While they typically meet these targets, Howell noted that peak travel periods from 5 to 9 a.m., and again from 4 to 6 p.m., are expected to be especially busy.

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