Here’s How Much Spare Change the TSA Collected Last Year

Harried travelers are increasingly leaving their nickels and dimes in the bins used during airport security screenings, which has led to a growing source of revenue for the Transportation Security Administration.

In the fiscal year 2014, the TSA collected almost $675,000 in loose change, according to the agency’s internal data, up from $638,000 in fiscal year 2013. The amount of money collected has been steadily increasing since 2010, even though Americans are increasingly reliant on digital payment methods rather than cash. Overall, the agency has collected about $3.5 million in loose change since 2008. The cash is used to fund TSA security operations.

Fliers at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport left the most change behind, $43,000. Los Angeles International Airport ranked second at $42,000 and San Francisco International Airport ranked third at $35,000.