The Transportation Security Administration says 2,653 firearms were found in carry-on bags in 2015, a 20 per cent increase over the previous year, which had been a record. More than four out of five were loaded.
Airports with the most gun discoveries were Dallas-Fort Worth, 153; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, 144; Houston George Bush, 100; Denver, 90, and Phoenix, 73.
TSA screened 708 million passengers in 2015, 40 million more than in 2014.
Weapons of any kind are prohibited in carry-on bags. However, passengers can take guns with them when they fly if they are in checked bags, unloaded, properly packed and declared to the airline.