Brace yourself if you’re flying this summer. A record 246.1 million passengers are expected to fly between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, a 3.7 percent increase over last year’s record, predicted Airlines for America, a trade group for the U.S.’s biggest airlines.

The expected surge is due to a strong economy, low unemployment and relatively inexpensive fares. We’ll see if that last piece will apply to us in farflung Hawaii, as well.

The Transportation Security Administration says it expects to hire 1,000 more screening officers to handle the peak summer season. Let’s just hope Honolulu’s airport, which is undergoing an overhaul of its gate and baggage claim numbering system this week, is likewise prepared.

State tax revenues soar, and so does spending

As Gov. David Ige’s administration has predicted, the state is poised to end this fiscal year on July 1 with a cash surplus of more than $1 billion — marking the second time Hawaii has had a surplus that big in the last three fiscal years.

State lawmakers apparently could foresee revenues rolling in, too. That helps explain why late in this year’s legislative session, spending was boosted, with $200 million allocated for development of rental housing and $125 million allotted for recovery from the floods on Kauai and Oahu last month. As of last week, state tax collections for the year were on pace to grow by 7.3 percent.