Pittsburgh International Airport expects large crowds over the Independence Day vacation period, and the Transportation Security Administration has some tips to help travelers make their flights.

TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said Pittsburgh’s airport has been overwhelmed with travelers as of late.

“We’re seeing an unprecedented amount of passengers,” Farbstein said Tuesday. Travelers griped on social media about long lines at Pittsburgh’s airport Monday morning. Some missed their flights while stuck in security screening lines.

The agency said it broke the national record Sunday for most people screened on a single day, with nearly 3 million individuals going through security. From June 27 through July 8, they expect a 5.4% traveler increase over the same period last year.

On Monday, Pittsburgh airport officials issued a travel alert advising passengers with flights departing between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. to get to the airport between two-and-half and three hours early.

Last month was the busiest May that Pittsburgh International Airport has seen in 17 years, with more than 892,000 passengers, airport spokesman Bob Kerlik said.

Knowing how to pack properly can help decrease the amount of time it takes to get through security.

• TSA suggests people start packing with a bag that is completely empty to ensure there are no forgotten prohibited items left inside.

• To avoid retrieving the wrong checked luggage at baggage claim, passengers should tag every piece of checked luggage with their name and address on both the inside and outside of the bag.

• People traveling with larger electronic items, such as computers, should pack them along the top of their bag so they are easier to remove. All bottles containing liquids must be 3.4 ounces or smaller.

• Passengers traveling with a firearm should secure it in their checked baggage because they are prohibited at security checkpoints. It must be packed, unloaded and locked in a hard-sided case. The passenger must declare the firearm to the airline when checking in at the airline ticket counter.

• While TSA will not confiscate or seize firearms, if a passenger brings one to the security checkpoint, TSA officers will contact local law enforcement to safely unload and take possession of the firearm. Depending on local law enforcement, the passenger may also be arrested or receive a civil penalty up to nearly $15,000.

• Passengers who have questions about packing can download the MyTSA app and use the “What Can I Bring?” feature to determine whether an item is allowed or prohibited in carry-on luggage, or text their question to TSA by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).

• Upon arriving at the airport, airline passengers should have their ID and boarding pass out and ready at the security checkpoint entrance.

• Airlines may request proof-of-age documentation, such as a birth certificate, during check-in for children 12 and younger traveling unaccompanied and for children 2 and younger planning to sit on an adult passenger’s lap.

• Passengers who are especially worried about the increased time in lines can enroll in TSA PreCheck via one of TSA’s authorized enrollment providers. Enrollment starts at $77.95 for a five-year membership.

TSA PreCheck passengers do not need to remove their shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, food items and light jackets at the security checkpoint. PreCheck lanes take less than 10 minutes, whereas standard lanes can take longer.

Megan Trotter is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at mtrotter@triblive.com.

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