9/11 permanently changed air travel security in the US with the creation of the Transportation Security Administration.

9/11 reshaped US foreign and military policy for decades, shifting focus to non-state actors and the Middle East.

Experience 9/11, the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, as it happened.

The PATRIOT Act expanded government surveillance after 9/11

Signed into law weeks after the attacks, the PATRIOT Act granted federal agencies sweeping powers to monitor communications, access records, and conduct surveillance—sparking ongoing debates over privacy, civil liberties, and national security.

The US launched the Global War on Terror after 9/11

In the wake of 9/11, the US declared a Global War on Terror—initiating military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, expanding surveillance, and forming international coalitions to combat terrorism and disrupt extremist networks worldwide.

Learn about the bodies that govern the US commercial airline industry, such as the FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates US air travel, monitoring both safety and advancement. But despite deregulation in the 1970s, the industry has other governing bodies, too, including the US Department of Transportation and the TSA.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was created in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

One hijacked plane struck the Pentagon on 9/11, killing 125 people inside

American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon's west side, destroying a section of the building and killing all 59 on board, along with 125 military and civilian personnel, making it the deadliest attack on the US military headquarters.

The US air traffic control system is safe but due for major technological updates

On any given day, over 3 million passengers fly on roughly 45,000 flights in the US. Flying today is safer than ever, but air traffic controllers deal with outdated technology that can interfere with pilot communication.

Americans showed an unprecedented surge of patriotism after 9/11

In the weeks following 9/11, 79% of US adults reported displaying the American flag, and a year later, 62% said they "often felt patriotic" due to the attacks.

Flight 93 passengers fought back and prevented a fourth target

United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked en route to Washington, DC. Passengers learned of the other attacks and stormed the cockpit. The plane crashed in Pennsylvania, likely preventing a strike on the US Capitol.

Many airports have dedicated stores for luggage, despite most passengers having luggage with them already

This podcast episode argues that airport luggage stores exist due, in part, to the security measures implemented after 9/11, creating capitve audiences of travelers. Some argue that airport luggage store shoppers coming from places where luggage is more expensive could be purchasing luggage in international airports. Specifically, the episode traces airport history from the very beginning to today's luggage store in your local Terminal B.

How the NSA has changed through history

The National Security Agency was born in the Cold War and then transformed by 9/11. This article answers all the basic questions you might have about the NSA, from what it does to how much data it collects to some of its useful intercepts.

How NATO responded to 9/11

The collective defense clause of the NATO constitution has only been invoked one time: after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States. This video explores the immediate actions NATO took to respond to the attacks to support the United States. These firsthand clips from 2001 give a sense of the magnitude of the moment and the difficult decisions facing NATO leaders at the time.

The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force has been used by five administrations to justify military operations in at least 22 countries.

US intelligence warned in multiple reports of al-Qaida's plans to strike before 9/11.

One Day in America series reveals the full timeline and human toll of 9/11

This National Geographic episode reconstructs the events of 9/11—highlighting the Pentagon attack, Flight 93 hijacking, South Tower collapse, and rescue efforts—offering a detailed, chronological account of how the day unfolded.

The War on Terror used controversial tactics like torture and secret prisons

As part of its post-9/11 strategy, the US employed enhanced interrogation, extraordinary rendition, and secret CIA black sites—practices widely criticized as torture and violations of international law and human rights.

President Bush addressed the nation on 9/11 from the Oval Office, watched by an estimated 80 million people.

The 'Miracle on the Hudson' showed heroism in the air and changed social media forever

On Jan. 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 lost both engines after hitting birds and was safely landed in the Hudson River. The event was a turning point for Twitter, as a photo and a tweet quickly spread—marking Twitter's rise as a real-time news source.

The 9/11 plane crashes, which resulted in the collapse of the Twin Towers, created toxic dust that included materials including asbestos, silica, metals, concrete, and glass.

The REAL ID requirement was passed in response to the 9/11 attacks, but was not implemented until 2025.

See intact objects found in the wreckage of Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after its 40 passengers and crew stormed the cockpit, stopping the hijackers from reaching their likely target, the US Capitol Building.

AP Photos: 20 images documenting the enormity of 9/11

The Associated Press shares 20 photographers’ frames from Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers crashed commercial planes into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

9/11 was the first global disaster watched in real time across the world

As the first plane struck at 8:46 a.m. ET, CNN's live feed broadcast images worldwide within minutes. An estimated 2 billion people watched the collapse of the Twin Towers live.

View artifacts at the Smithsonian that tell the story of 9/11.

The aviation industry built trust in automation by keeping pilots in the cockpit

Nearly 70% of Americans feel uncomfortable riding in a driverless car, and 81% of them would not fly on a pilotless plane. However, automated systems on planes were slowly introduced and advertised as enhancing safety—an approach that may benefit driverless vehicles.

100 years of passenger air travel: a visual guide

This interactive timeline covers the first 100 years of passenger air travel, which was created in 1925 when the U.S. Post Office allowed private airlines to start delivering mail.

Airport security scanners use X-rays to infer baggage contents, with newer machines combining images taken at multiple angles and with various X-ray energies for improved threat detection.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City’s Financial District in 2001, many banks decided to relocate

Much has been said about why today’s top banks are typically no longer headquartered on Wall Street itself. The terrorist attacks in New York City’s Financial District on Sept. 11, 2001, are one reason many banks decided to relocate.

Commercial air travel's early days: Flights were short, cold, depressurized, and generally comfortable

After World War II, airlines competed for their high-end passengers by offering cocktails, meals, and plush seats, cultivating the image of the elite "Jet Set." By the 1960s, air transport was completely changing global trade and offering big profits to companies able to ship via plane.

Welcome to Gander, a tiny town of around 10,000 people in Newfoundland, which took in nearly 7,000 passengers for days after the 9/11 attacks grounded all air travel in the US.

Is there a shortage of air traffic controllers?

In 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration employed more than 14,000 air traffic controllers—crucial workers who direct traffic in and out of airports and around legal airspace. However, due to long training programs and the pandemic's aftereffects, as of 2023, nearly half of the agency's 290 facilities are understaffed. The agency has attempted to shift its hiring direction to increase its numbers.

al-Qaida targeted multiple US interests in attacks before 9/11

Before 9/11, al-Qaeda carried out several deadly attacks on US targets—including the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole—killing hundreds of people.

Find out how airline mergers created some of today's largest airlines

Four airlines dominate the US commercial airline industry: Delta, United, Southwest, and American. Many of these large companies secured their top spots in the industry via a series of mergers and acquisitions starting in the 1970s, when American acquired Trans Caribbean Airlines.

The Taliban provided al-Qaida with a safe haven in Afghanistan before 9/11 and returned to power in 2021

A fundamentalist Islamist movement, the Taliban ruled most of Afghanistan before 9/11, providing al-Qaida with training grounds and sanctuary. After 20 years of war, it regained power following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.

The US and allies invaded Iraq based on flawed intelligence about potential weapons of mass destruction.

President George W. Bush learned of the 9/11 attacks while visiting a classroom.

9/11 first responders still deal with significant mental and physical impairments.

NATO's Article 5 has been invoked once—after 9/11

The article was invoked the day after the attacks and launched a series of NATO campaigns to fight global terrorism. This page includes excerpts from a speech by then-NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about the attacks and the organization’s response.

An in-depth account of the image of 'The Falling Man' whose final seconds capture the visceral horrors of 9/11

Do you remember the photograph above? In the US, people have taken pains to banish it from the record of Sept. 11, 2001. Here's a detailed account of the story behind it, the search for the man pictured in it, and its impact on those who lived through the tragic day.

Coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks helped shape Wikipedia's editorial policies

Launched nine months earlier, the site was featured on Yahoo's news page, attracting traffic from information seekers as dozens of new editors created hundreds of articles, including memorials, conspiracy theories, and donation and volunteer pages. Discussions between editors would begin establishing rules for handling breaking news events.

The toxic dust from 9/11 sites still claims lives decades later

In the years after 9/11, nearly 17,000 first responders enrolled in health programs have reported cancers and respiratory diseases linked to Ground Zero exposure. More have died from related illnesses than were killed on the day itself.

NASA was created by Congress in 1958

Created by Congress under the National Aeronautics and Space Act, NASA officially began in 1958, building on earlier aviation research and positioning the US to compete in the Space Race and lead global space exploration.

Commercial air travel made international vacations more commonplace.

Osama bin Laden declared jihad—a call for armed struggle framed as a religious duty—against the US in 1996.

NASA was created in 1958 in the wake of the Sputnik 1 launch

The launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 jolted US political leaders, who urgently consulted scientists and defense experts on how to respond. Concerns about Soviet technological dominance—and the promise of civilian space applications—led directly to NASA’s creation in 1958.

Watch Jon Stewart's unifying opening monologue during his first show back after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Explore a visual history of Air Force One.

Pan Am was once the largest international airline in the US—but it shut down in 1991 after a series of financial issues, beginning with increased operating costs and reduced demand driven by the oil crisis in the 1970s.

In 2024, US airports generated over $1B of revenue—partly due to overpriced airport food

Some in the airport industry argue that charging street prices in airport restaurants isn't sustainable because it's more expensive to run a business inside an airport.