Travelers navigate security lines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Terminal 1 on March 23, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Fewer people are flying this year, but with airfare this high and climbing , airline executives say that's just fine.

The number of people screened at U.S. checkpoints is on track for its first annual decline since 2020. Major U.S. carriers have said capturing higher fares is more important than fully filling their planes or flying record numbers of travelers.

"We're actively prioritizing yield versus load factor and really happy as we see it.…