PENSACOLA, Fla. (
WKRG
)—This previous Memorial Day saw one of the most crowded days ever at Pensacola International Airport, recording approximately 13,450 passengers.
On Monday, the airport experienced its fourth highest volume of travelers ever recorded and the second biggest day for this year in 2025.
“We’ve seen expansion this year during a period when many airlines are reducing their schedules, and we’re particularly lucky that the airlines haven’t cut back on service here,” stated Todd Payne, the Assistant Director of Strategy and Development for PNS.
Compared to the previous year’s Memorial Day weekend, the number of travelers at the Pensacola International Airport rose by approximately 4.5%.
The Pensacola International Airport staff expressed their excitement about the increase in passenger numbers observed over recent years.
“Typically, airports expand at an annual rate of 2 to 3 or even 4 percent; however, this particular airport saw a growth of 14% last year, and for this year, we’re currently looking at around a 4 to 5% increase, which is truly remarkable,” Payne stated.
A traveler swipes her ID at the TSA checkpoint. (News 5 photo)
Payne praised the TSA team for managing the large number of people on Monday. Even with more travelers than usual, the maximum waiting period at security checkpoints remained just 15 minutes.
We’ve put in significant effort to ensure the best possible experience for our guests,” Payne stated. “It does get challenging at times, particularly during busy periods, but we’ve introduced stanchions (kiosks) and have additional personnel on hand.
Even with short waiting periods, airport personnel advise passengers to reach the terminal at least 120 minutes prior to their departure time.
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