Travelers could be waiting in long security lines this summer -- the Transportation Security Administration says the recent surge in travel caught them off guard, and they're understaffed.

TSA officials are worried about a summer boom as COVID-19 vaccination rates increase. The Washington Post reports the TSA offered overtime bonuses in a memo and asked TSA office workers to help at airports.

More than 1.6 million people went through checkpoints on Wednesday. On Sunday, a new record was hit -- more than 1.9 million.

The TSA says it wants to hire as many as 6,000 new employees to replace ones who have quit and to help with the summer travel boom.

According to TSA, airports like LaGuardia are reporting it takes less than 15 minutes to get through security. However, in addition to the TSA needing more employees, some airlines are reporting they also need more employees to handle the influx of people.

"There are definitely a lot more people now. We traveled in April -- that was our first trip, and it was not this busy," said Jahdiah Dyson, of Brooklyn.

The TSA says some airports are busier than others and that passengers should expect delays.

The agency also recommends signing up for Pre-Check as it will speed up screenings and only takes a few days to get approved after the application.

Travel experts say the old rule of getting to the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one is more important than ever.