--- description: A record 4,432 firearms were discovered in carry-ons or on passengers at U.S. airport security checkpoints in 2019 title: TSA Found a Record Number of Guns at U.S. Airports in 2019 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9dc36ec6480e9aa/698a08f8db2987dda6264ce9/guns-airport-checkpoints.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Guns](/tag/guns/) ## Guns Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A Record Number of Guns Were Discovered at U.S. Airports in 2019, TSA Says by [Amy Gunia](/author/amy-gunia/) ## Amy Gunia Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Gunia was a reporter for TIME based in Hong Kong. Jan 16, 2020 7:13 AM CUT  Lines of airplane passengers proceed through the TSA security checkpoint at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado on Aug. 30, 2019. Lines of airplane passengers proceed through the TSA security checkpoint at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado on Aug. 30, 2019.Robert Alexander—Getty Images by [Amy Gunia](/author/amy-gunia/) ## Amy Gunia Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Gunia was a reporter for TIME based in Hong Kong. Jan 16, 2020 7:13 AM CUT A record number of firearms were discovered at U.S. airport security checkpoints last year, 87% of which were loaded, the [Transportation Security Administration](https://time.com/5501064/tsa-close-security-lanes-shutdown/ "undefined") (TSA) said Wednesday. TSA found [4,432 firearms](https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2020/01/15/tsa-year-review-2019 "undefined") in 2019, a 5% increase compared to the previous year, and the highest recovered in the agency’s 18-year history, according to a statement. The firearms were found in carry-on luggage and on passengers at 278 airports across the country. With 323 cases, the [Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport](https://time.com/5559558/dog-lost-at-atlanta-airport/ "undefined") had the most firearms discoveries, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, [Denver International Airport](https://time.com/5686965/passenger-stuck-bathroom-united-flight/ "undefined") and [George Bush Intercontinental Airport](https://time.com/5504494/houston-airport-terminal-still-closed/ "undefined") in Houston, which all ended the year with more than 130 cases. The TSA said it also found a slew of explosives and sharp objects throughout the year, some of which passengers had tried to conceal in items like boots. “Please don’t pack your firearm in your carry-on bag and please check your bags before heading to the airport,” the TSA urged in its blog post, cautioning of penalties of more than $13,000 per violation and potential arrest. Passengers are permitted to transport [unloaded firearms](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition "undefined") in locked hard-sided luggage as checked baggage. The record-breaking number of attempts to carry on firearms may be in part attributable to passenger numbers. The TSA said that 2019 featured the busiest spring break travel period and Fourth of July holiday weekend on record. But the busiest day on record was Dec. 1, when more than 2.8 million passengers and crew members were screened. In January, a passenger was able to board a Delta Airlines flight [from Atlanta to Tokyo](https://time.com/5501904/tsa-gun-screening-shutdown/ "undefined") with a gun. The passenger reported the firearm to the airline and was “met by Japanese authorities upon landing.” The TSA said that it would “hold those responsible appropriately accountable.” TSA Found a Record Number of Guns at U.S. Airports in 2019 ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5766120/tsa-record-guns-us-airports-2019/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5766120/tsa-record-guns-us-airports-2019/"},"headline":"A Record Number of Guns Were Discovered at U.S. Airports in 2019, TSA Says","datePublished":"2020-01-16T07:13:03.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T08:04:05.457Z","description":"Airports in Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth and Denver had the most firearm discoveries","url":"https://time.com/5766120/tsa-record-guns-us-airports-2019/","keywords":["Guns","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9dc36ec6480e9aa/698a08f8db2987dda6264ce9/guns-airport-checkpoints.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Amy Gunia","jobTitle":"Gunia was a reporter for TIME based in Hong Kong.","url":"https://time.com/author/amy-gunia/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9dc36ec6480e9aa/698a08f8db2987dda6264ce9/guns-airport-checkpoints.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"guns-airport-checkpoints","caption":"Guns Airport Checkpoints","creditText":"Robert Alexander—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/guns/","name":"Guns"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5766120/tsa-record-guns-us-airports-2019/","name":"A Record Number of Guns Were Discovered at U.S. Airports in 2019, TSA Says"}}]}] ```