TSA Sees Decrease in Firearms At Orlando International Airport

If you’ve traveled to Disney World, it’s likely you’re familiar with Orlando International Airport, which is how a lot of folks headed to Disney World get there.

That means you understand just how BIG the airport is, as well as what the security situation is like (lines are generally long). However, you might not know about things the TSA uncovers at those security checkpoints. That includes guns, but the TSA recently announced that the number of guns found at Orlando Airport’s security checkpoints has gone down.

The TSA recently released a report regarding the number of firearms discovered in 2024 at airport security checkpoints in the state of Florida. TSA officers discovered a total of 817 firearms in carry-on luggage in 2024, down from 834 in 2023. At Orlando International Airport, the number of firearms discovered was 150 in 2024, as compared to 164 in 2023.

However, some airports did have increases in the number of firearms discovered at security checkpoints. That includes Miami International Airport, Palm Beach International, Northwest Florida Beaches International, Gainesville Regional, and Melbourne Orlando International, all of which broke records for number of firearms discovered at Florida airports in 2024.

Nationwide, the TSA detected a firearm for every 135,384 passengers screened at airport security checkpoints. However, the rate in Florida is lower, with one firearm discovered for every 140,061 passengers screened.

So what happens when TSA spots a firearm? Well, when the image of a firearm is spotted in a carry-on going through the X-ray screening, the TSA will immediately notify local airport law enforcement. The airport law enforcement comes to the security checkpoint and removes the firearm from the X-ray tunnel and “makes contact with the traveler.” The law enforcement agency can then decide how to deal with both the firearm and the traveler. This could include citations, fees, as well as having TSA PreCheck eligibility revoked for five years.

Note that firearms are allowed on commercial aircraft, but only if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case, and placed in checked baggage. The passenger must also declare the firearm, ammunition, and any parts when they check in to their flight.

Replica firearms are also not allowed in carry-on and must be placed in checked luggage.

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