This carry-on souvenir keeps getting World Cup visitors in trouble with TSA
With the FIFA World Cup now in full swing, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is experiencing record-breaking travel volume.
Adam Stahl, deputy administrator with the Transportation Security Administration, held a press conference Wednesday at the airport to discuss TSA’s World Cup security measures. Stahl said this past week has set records for some of the busiest days of all time at the airport.
Sunday, June 21, ranked as the third-busiest travel day in the airport’s history, with about 203,000 overall travelers, said airport spokesperson Perry Cooper. Bosnia-Herzegovina faced Qatar on Wednesday, June 24, in Seattle, with Egypt and Iran schedule to follow on Friday, June 26, at 8 p.m.
Friday, June 19, ranked as the sixth-busiest day and Thursday, June 18, ranked as the seventh-busiest, leading up to the highly-anticipated Australia vs. U.S.A match. All three days broke records set last year. The airport’s busiest day ever was Aug. 10, 2025, with about 207,000 overall travelers.
“This summer, it’s not going to let up,” Stahl said during the Wednesday press conference. “We’re going to probably break all those top 10 travel throughput numbers and daily numbers this summer, and it’s a testament to just people loving to travel to Seattle.”
The tournament coincides with some of the busiest travel periods of the year, including a number of federal holidays such as Juneteenth and Independence Day.
There are two more matches set in July with the teams yet to be determined, according to SeattleFWC 26, the city’s World Cup organizing committee.
Stahl said that all host city airports are effectively screening the increased volume so far, and that they’re seeing an interesting trend: some international travelers have attempted to transport large bottles of ranch in their carry-ons. Most ranch comes in 8 fluid ounce bottles, and carry-on liquids are limited to 3.4 fluid onces. TSA has since advised travelers to pack ranch bottles in their checked bags instead.
The News Tribune asked a TSA spokesperson how many times ranch has been confiscated from travelers at Sea-Tac, but the spokesperson said they had no specific numbers at this time.
“It’s all in good fun, and it really showcases the pride in America that we have,” Stahl said. “We’re happy and really honored to share the spirit of American culture with visitors across the world.”
Last week, Kraft announced the launch of TSA-compliant ranch packets on Instagram, giving travelers a way to bring the condiment home in their carry-ons.
Stahl emphasized that travelers should plan ahead by coming to the airport early and knowing what they can and cannot pack to quickly get through security screening.
Here are a few tips that travelers should know before they get to the airport, per TSA:
- Arrive early: Plan to allow time for parking, returning car rentals, shuttling, as well as checking in, dropping off bags, and going through security.
- Bring the right ID: Double-check you have your REAL ID, passport, or other acceptable forms of identification.
- Know what to pack: Reduce the risk of bringing prohibited items by following TSA rules for carry-ons and checked bags.
- Enroll in TSA PreCheck: Enroll in TSA PreCheck for an expedited security experience. Sea-Tac now also offers TSA PreCheck Touchless ID for eligible travelers, accelerating the security screening process with facial comparison technology.
For more travel information, wait times, and places to watch the World Cup at the airport, visit the Port of Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport webpage.
