MIAMI (AP) — Security at one of Florida’s largest airports has gone to the dogs, and it’s helping travelers reach their gates faster.
The Miami Herald reports that thousands of Thanksgiving travelers passed through security Wednesday with their shoes on and their laptops packed at Miami International Airport as bomb-sniffing dogs enabled the Transportation Security Administration to move passengers up to 30 percent faster than normal.
Officials say dogs and handlers work 30-minute shifts. Miami International has 12 security checkpoints, but only one checkpoint at a time uses an explosive-sniffing dog team. The airport currently has 10 working dogs and four in training.
The dog teams have worked at the airport year-round since 2010, but TSA ramps up their staffing during busy holiday periods like Thanksgiving, when 1.5 million travelers will pass through Miami airport in a 12-day period.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.