TSA: 1.5 million U.S. travelers counted on single day for first time in a year

March 22 (UPI) -- The number of travelers who passed through U.S. airports on Sunday surpassed 1.5 million -- the first time in more than a year that many were counted in a single day.

According to figures from the Transportation Security Administration, more than 1.54 million travelers were screened Sunday.

The last time the TSA counted at least 1.5 million air travelers on one day was March 15, 2020. After that, the figure dramatically decreased as COVID-19 restrictions and safety warnings discouraged air travel.

Sunday's figure, however, is still almost 700,000 travelers shy of the mark (about 2.2 million) set on the same date in 2019.

Sunday's tally continued a string of more than 1 million passengers screened at U.S. airports that goes back to March 11.

It's estimated that U.S. airlines lost more than $35 billion in 2020 due to coronavirus-related restrictions and the depressed impact on air travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said earlier this month that non-essential travel should still be avoided, even for people who have been vaccinated.