LAX expects to break passenger record for Memorial Day weekend

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Memorial Day weekend travelers line up at a TSA checkpoint at the United Airlines Terminal at LAX.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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LAX travelers embrace at terminal 6 as officials expect over a quarter million passengers to pass through today in Los Angeles.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Memorial Day weekend travelers stand on a pedestrian bridge lined up on at United terminal TSA checkpoint at LAX.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Memorial Day weekend travelers line up at a TSA checkpoint at the United Airlines Terminal at LAX.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Airserv employee Khamin Khan counsels a traveler at a United Airlines Terminal checkpoint at LAX.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Luggage awaits check-in on the sidewalk outside Terminal 5 at Los Angeles International Airport.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Traffic is jammed on the upper level for departing travelers at LAX on a Friday morning in May. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Passengers wait to check in and go through security at LAX on Friday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Traffic officers keep vehicles moving at Los Angeles International Airport.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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LAX travelers with for their flights Friday morning.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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LAX travelers exit a shuttle bus at Terminal 6 on Friday, getaway day for the Memorial Day holiday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Traffic is jammed at the departure level at LAX on Friday morning.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Holiday travelers await ground transportation after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport, through which over a quarter-million passengers were expected to pass on Friday alone.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Cars jam the upper deck at LAX on Friday morning.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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LAX police officers patrol the terminals on Friday morning.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

By Hugo Martin

May 27, 2016 11:25 AM PT

If you plan to fly out of Los Angeles International Airport this weekend, you may help set an airport record.

LAX is expected to serve an all-time high of 849,000 travelers during the Memorial Day weekend, an 8.2% increase over the previous record of 785,000 passengers, set last year.

The increase in travelers comes amid predictions of long airport security lines resulting from a reduction in Transportation Security Administration screeners and an increase in travelers.

LAX officials predict a record 24.5 million passengers will pass through the airport this summer, up more than 7% from last summer’s record of 22.8 million fliers.

Several factors are responsible for the surge in travelers, including lower fares, cheap fuel costs and an improved consumer confidence, according to travel experts.

According to data from the travel site Orbitz.com, airfares to the nation’s hottest destinations for Memorial Day are down 10% and hotel rates are down 5% compared with the summer of 2015.

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“Memorial Day is the kickoff to the summer travel season, so those travelers heading to airports should adjust arrival times to prepare for longer security lines and busy terminals,” said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor of Orbitz.com.

Based on booking information on Orbitz.com, the busiest airport during the holiday weekend will be LAX, followed by Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.

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