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News
TSA wait times improving at major airports, but travelers should still plan ahead
Sean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.
March 31, 2026 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Security wait times at major U.S. airports have improved significantly after TSA officers received overdue pay, with some hubs returning to normal operations.
Recent staffing improvements have led to shorter lines at airports such as Atlanta, Baltimore and New York, though some locations still report notable absences among officers.
Expedited security services like PreCheck and Clear are again available at most airports, but access may be limited at certain terminals or during peak times.
Travelers are advised to monitor airport social media and websites for real-time updates, as the underlying government shutdown has not yet been resolved.
What to consider
TSA staffing remains below normal at some airports, leading to occasional long waits, especially for those without expedited screening.
The federal shutdown continues, creating uncertainty about future paychecks for TSA officers and the stability of current improvements.
Expedited security services may not be available at all checkpoints, and the TSA's own app may not provide up-to-date wait times.
What you'll miss from the article
Tips for tracking real-time airport security conditions and advice on using expedited screening services effectively.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Security wait times seem to be improving rapidly at many airports across the country, a day after Transportation Security Administration officers started getting paid for the first time in weeks.
If you’re traveling in the coming days, things may not be perfect — and you may still want to err on the side of getting to the airport early. But we can report this bit of good news: Several of the busiest airports have finally begun to see TSA lines easing. In some cases, wait times have returned to normal levels.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) on Tuesday, travelers stood in line for just two to three minutes on average during a quiet stretch of the afternoon.
Security wait times at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) on Tuesday afternoon. ATL
That’s a huge change from just days ago, when the megahub saw TSA backups of two and three hours at the height of the ongoing partial government shutdown.
“Airport operations have seemed to return to normal,” an ATL spokesperson told TPG Tuesday.
How normal? ATL was back to its “standard” guidance for travelers wondering how early to get to the terminal: two hours for domestic flights, and three hours for international.
A security line reaches outside the terminal last week at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). MEGAN VARNER/GETTY IMAGES
It’s not just Atlanta.
TSA staffing levels improve
Across the country, the TSA on Monday reported a 30% drop in officer call-outs as two full paychecks began to hit workers’ bank accounts.
Outside Baltimore, travelers faced far less chaos to start the week after crowds snaked through the terminal over the weekend at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
“The normal, quick and efficient checkpoint operations we’re known for have returned,” BWI declared on social media.
Elsewhere, New York’s three major hubs were back to sharing live TSA checkpoint wait times on Tuesday. The airports had pulled their trackers after a volatile few weeks made it difficult to predict how long flyers might have to wait in line.
The problems aren't entirely over
These improvements at TSA checkpoints came after the Trump administration on Friday took executive action to pay TSA officers, while Congress remained in a stalemate over funding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — which has been shut down since Feb. 14. The partial federal shutdown caused TSA staffers (and other federal workers) to miss two paychecks, and triggered scores of agents across the country to call off work.
That led to the worst security backups in the TSA’s nearly 25-year history, the agency’s top leader told lawmakers last week.
DANIELLE VILLASANA/GETTY IMAGES
The problems aren’t entirely over.
Staffing problems remain
Despite improvements, Atlanta still saw roughly one in four TSA officers call off work on Monday.
At least one in five officers didn’t show up at BWI and at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY).
Meanwhile, passengers flying out of Terminal 4 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Tuesday afternoon faced a nearly hour-long backup — though the waits were less than 10 minutes for those with TSA PreCheck.
At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), still only two checkpoints were open on Tuesday, and travelers didn’t have access to fast-tracked services like TSA PreCheck and Clear.
However, the airport showed TSA wait times that were dramatically better than the three- and four-hour marathons passengers faced a week ago.
TSA wait times on Tuesday afternoon at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). HOUSTON AIRPORTS
Will the TSA improvements last?
Together, all this looks like progress, and has given travelers with upcoming trips reason to hope the airport experience will be less miserable than the scenes we’ve seen of late.
Will these improvements last?
We have to point out, DHS — which oversees TSA — technically remains shut down. And the lawmakers that could end the shutdown are home on a two-week recess from work, a fact that’s left the TSA workers’ union “utterly disgusted."
TSA union leadership also told TPG that officers remained “unclear” on Tuesday whether the Trump administration’s executive order (signed Friday) to pay officers this week would guarantee their next paycheck.
Travelers wait in a security line at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). MATTHEW HATCHER/GETTY IMAGES
In a statement to TPG on Tuesday, a DHS spokesperson said TSA would “use every available means” to pay its workforce as the shutdown drags on.
Tips if you're heading to the airport
In the meantime, we recommend keeping a close eye on your departure airport before your next trip. Check its social media feeds and website to gauge whether operations seem to be running normally or if long lines are still the norm.
Keep in mind that many of the busiest U.S. hubs publish their own TSA wait-time trackers. Just don’t rely on the TSA’s own app, which is not being updated regularly as the partial government shutdown continues.
Expedited services like TSA PreCheck and Clear remain the best way to dodge the longest lines, and we’re hopeful that as TSA staffing levels continue to rebound, we’ll see fewer airports suspending those services.
If you have PreCheck access, be sure to opt in to the TSA’s extra-fast TSA PreCheck Touchless ID service, which can get you through checkpoints even faster at dozens of U.S. airports. To use those lanes, you’ll need to upload your passport info to your airline profile.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Bottom line
Beyond this shutdown, long-term concerns about TSA wait times remain. The agency on Tuesday said more than 500 officers have now quit or otherwise left their jobs since mid-February.
Last week, the agency's acting administrator warned this could have major consequences for the upcoming summer travel rush — a season that also includes the World Cup hosted in the U.S.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
