Des Moines Cancels Global Entry Registrations, and Other Government-Shutdown News
It's week four of the longest government shutdown in the US, and the effects on commercial air transport are beginning to be truly felt.
One of the federal programs most used by frequent travelers, Global Entry, is feeling the pinch. Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has canceled its upcoming registration event for the Global Entry program scheduled for Feb. 5 to Feb. 7. The Des Moines Register reported that all interview slots and applications have been postponed until further notice. This would have been the third time DSM hosted a Global Entry registration event.
Since the cancelation, DSM has yet to reschedule the event, however those who planned on participating in the program can keep updated by checking the airport's social media accounts. The Global Entry program allows those who qualify to skip passport control lines and paper customs declarations when returning to the US from abroad.
Despite the shutdown's effect on Global Entry, executive director of the DSM Airport Authority Kevin Foley said that the airport hasn't experienced any travel delays since the shutdown began on Dec. 22. As for staffing issues, Foley "does not know" whether or not the trend of TSA agents calling out of work has been occurring at DSM.
In other government-shutdown news:
ATL is the busiest airport in the world, so it's no surprise that it would experience some delays during the government shutdown. However, since our last report on increased wait times at security checks, conditions at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) have only continued to decline. Passengers are now being warned by the airport to set aside at least three hours to clear security. On Monday, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez tweeted out a video of the humongous line at security.
On Tuesday morning, Delta Air Lines' CEO Ed Bastian went onto CNBC's Squawk Box to discuss how the shutdown has been affecting the airline. Current status? A $25 million dip in revenue due to the shutdown. (Here's our story on the revenue loss for Delta.)
Bastian also told CNBC that Delta is "stepping in, providing a lot of people" to "help take any of the non-security functions off of the TSA's hands." Delta may also have trouble keeping to the currently scheduled date for the debut if its newest airplane, the Airbus A220. Without federal officials to work on the certfications needed to introduce a new plane type into service, the January 31 date looks iffy.
Following their first official missed payday, TSA employees at Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) have transformed a small, unused roon in Terminal 2 into a makeshift food pantry. It's stocked now with macaroni and cheese, cereal, peanut butter, canned goods and a multitude of other essentials, and the unpaid employees are being encouraged to take what they need for their families.
"Our folks have taken it and run with it," Cliff Van Leuven, Homeland Security's Federal Security Director at MSP, said. "This has all accumulated I think from over the weekend."
Here is a fun little tidbit of information: according to a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, TSA and airport employees have control over what music is played at certain terminals of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
In what we imagine as an effort to boost morale during the seemingly endless shutdown, TSA agents at JFK have been blasting the explicit versions of "SICKO MODE" by Travis Scott and "Lift Yourself" by Kanye West throughout the airport among other songs by Ludacris, the Beastie Boys, Paramore and more. Some travelers have taken to Twitter to describe the surreal effect of the music in an airport setting:
Well, at least somebody is having a good time.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees