The Boise Airport Is Having A Record-Breaking Year… With Guns

Some people love going to the airport, others find it to be one of the most stressful situations you can be in. As for the Boise airport, it's arguably one of the smoothest in the country... so long as you come prepared.

Packing For The Trip

Most people are pretty familiar with what you can and can't bring onto a plane. If you plan on going on a trip for a few days, there's a good chance you'll need to check a bag.

It's there where you're able to store some items that you otherwise couldn't take with you in your carry-on.

However, there are quite a few travelers in Idaho who didn't get the memo about traveling with guns.

A Record-Breaking Year For The Boise Airport

According to a press release from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), TSA officers discovered 43 firearms in carry-on luggage in 2024.

"This breaks the record set in 2023 when TSA officers discovered 42 firearms during the 12-month period," the TSA shared in their press release.

"Each of these firearms was discovered during routine X-ray screening in the security checkpoint."

The record-breaking discovery came on Monday, October 21 when a Taurus G3c pistol was discovered in a bag that belonged to a traveler heading to Phoenix. Now, we like to think people are forgetting to properly check their firearms but 43 firearms up to this point? Some might find that alarming.

TSA reports that the firearm was "loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition"... and there were an additional 10 rounds discovered in the bag.

If you're busted with a gun in your carry-on, you can face a fine of up to $14,950 which can come with other charges depending on what the local airport law enforcement agency wants to do. You'll also be looked at more closely the next time you go through TSA and you risk losing your TSA PreCheck if you have it.

How To Travel With A Firearm

According to the TSA, if you plan on traveling with a gun, you'll need to go to the "airline ticket counter to declare the firearm, ammunition, and any firearm parts." TSA also says you can take your gun with you if it's "unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage."

The same goes for replica guns. When in doubt, call the airport ahead of time and confirm how to safely travel with a gun.