As World Cup comes to a close in KC, KCI sees record number of flyers
As the World Cup drew to a close in Kansas City, the city’s airport saw a record-breaking number of visitors.
On Sunday, 24,266 people were screened through security at Kansas City International Airport, marking the airport’s “busiest day of outbound travel traffic of all time,” according to a news release from the city.
The record comes just one day after Argentina toppled Switzerland 3-1 at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium, marking the end of the last World Cup game in the city.
“The days following a match day have consistently made for high traffic days for MCI, with the airport seeing eight different days surpass 20,000 travelers screened over the course of the matches in Kansas City, with another busy outbound day expected on Monday, July 13,” the news release said.
Security screening gates opened 30 minutes early, at 2:30 a.m., Sunday in anticipation for the large quantity of travelers, according to the city. All 16 security checkpoints were opening during peak travel times, and additional security staff worked throughout the day.
“Their efforts kept wait times to an estimated two and a half minutes on average and just five minutes at its longest,” the city said.
The news release said the days following World Cup matches in Kansas City have “consistently made for high traffic days” at the airport. The airport came close to breaking its all-time record on May 17, the day after Argentina’s first match in the city.
This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 3:49 PM.
