Some 1.9 million passengers passed through U.S. airports on Monday alone, according to the Transportation Security Administration. That number brought the extended holiday travel period total to more than 9 million people screened at TSA checkpoints.
Because most itineraries were round-trip, that means the total number of travelers was estimated to be more than 4 million -- after a projection of 2.5 million.
This year's numbers were a dramatic increase over 2020, but were still lower pre-pandemic levels.
Overall, the majority of those got out of town traveled by car.
Memorial Day weekend travel sets 2021 record at LAX
Surveillance video from a camera mounted above the 15 Freeway in Nevada showed part of a 26-mile backup as Las Vegas revelers headed back toward Southern California.