The partial government shutdown continues. TSA agents call in sick or resign due to no pay. I have ways of getting through TSA security quickly.
The partial U.S. government shutdown continues to seriously affect the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport security checkpoints. TSA agents call in sick or resign due to no pay.
TSA Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) are considered essential federal employees. They continue to be ordered to work during the shutdown, but they won’t be paid until it ends. That’s leaving many TSOs and their families financially strapped. Some are already without the funds necessary for everyday life.
With fewer TSOs available to work, the number of open TSA security lines at U.S. airports has been reduced. The remaining open lines are running more slowly than usual. Security checkpoint wait times have seriously lengthened much of the day. TSA agents call in sick or resign due to no pay.
Wait times at TSA airport security checkpoints have been reported to be more than an hour.
At some airports, lines have been reported with wait times longer than an hour. At my home airport, they’re short on TSA TSOs. They’ve closed three PreCheck lanes totally. They’ve also closed TSA checkpoints entirely at two terminals. Passengers departing from those terminals have to walk to other terminals to traverse TSA security. Then walk back to their terminal. It’s chaos.
In recent days, I’ve gotten phone calls and emails from friends, neighbors, and readers asking what they can do about the lines. Short of getting Congress and the President to figure out how to end the impasse, there are measures air travelers can take at their departure airports. But none will eliminate the problem completely.
Air travelers should monitor security line wait times via airport websites. TSA agents call in sick or resign. They normally keep track of wait times.
Air travelers need to monitor security line wait times at the airport to know when to head to the airport. Normally, I’d recommend the TSA smartphone app. It lists airport security wait times in real-time. Unfortunately, due to the shutdown, TSA isn’t updating the app with wait times. Fortunately, most major airports provide wait-time data on their websites. But the accuracy is sometimes imprecise and/or not quite in real time. Wait times change quickly throughout the day. They may be entirely different when you leave home or your hotel than when you arrive at the airport.
While I think it’s worthwhile to check wait times on the airport’s website or another site, I believe no air traveler can fully depend on the accuracy of those wait times.
I recommend being at the airport three hours before your flight’s departure during the shutdown.
Right now, my rule of thumb during the partial government shutdown is to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your departure. I know it’s a long time before boarding, and you may not need to arrive that early to make your flight. However, it’s better to get through the line and wait longer than you would like at the airport. Rather than miss your flight and have to purchase another ticket at the generally astronomical same-day cost.
Bring a book to read, a game, or a video. Most large airports have extensive shopping available and restaurants to grab a meal. If you have a lounge membership, you can wait there. I think that air travelers will find that it’s better to be very early than to miss their flights.
For U.S. air travelers who don’t currently have TSA PreCheck for expedited lines through TSA airport security checkpoints, this may be the time to sign up. Getting through TSA PreCheck security lines is generally faster and easier than the standard TSA security lines, even now during the shutdown.
TSA PreCheck lines are reported to be 50 to 80 percent faster than standard lines during the shutdown.
I check wait times at major U.S. airports that I’m flying through over the next few weeks. I’ve found that TSA PreCheck lines have significantly shorter wait times than standard lines, sometimes as much as 50 to 85 percent faster. TSA PreCheck lines have had much shorter wait times. Plus, PreCheck procedures are easier than those at standard lines. If you get PreCheck now, you’ll have it for five years. It will still be faster and easier than standard lines after the shutdown ends.
TSA PreCheck approval is generally very fast. Typically, air travelers can obtain PreCheck approval within 3–5 business days.
There are literally hundreds of locations where air travelers can enroll in TSA PreCheck. You can also get PreCheck at participating Staples and Office Depot/OfficeMax stores, dedicated Idemia enrollment centers, and at many U.S. airports.
I went to the TSA PreCheck Enrollment Centers page and entered my ZIP code. There are 16 enrollment centers within 25 miles of my home.
I also looked up how far enrollment centers would be from several Pennsylvania rural zip codes and found that each one had at least two enrollment locations within 50 miles, one within 25 miles.
Use Global Entry when you fly internationally.
I recommend Global Entry for air travelers who fly internationally two or three times every five years, which also includes PreCheck membership. However, it can take several months to get final Global Entry approval. You must be interviewed by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent.
Another way to cut your time in TSA security lines at the airport is via Clear. I normally don’t recommend Clear due to its cost, and it’s only at about 65 airports. That said, if Clear is at the airports you’re traveling through it can really help. Getting through the Clear line is normally very fast. Once through, you’re taken to the front of the PreCheck line. Unfortunately, it costs $209 per year. Moreover, there are reports that during the partial shutdown, Clear Lines have been periodically closed at some airports.
Don’t fly during peak morning or evening hours to avoid the longest security checkpoint lines.
One suggestion that I can make to help you get through the TSA airport security checkpoints as fast as possible is to travel early. Normally, I like to fly early in the morning, as it significantly reduces the likelihood of delay. I also have the option to catch a later flight to my destination the same day if my flight is canceled. Right now, however, air travelers should consider flying at off-peak times when TSA security lines are faster.
I have a final thought for air travelers during the shutdown. They won’t solve the TSA airport security checkpoint bottleneck during the shutdown. Unfortunately, extra time is the only way to ensure you get through the checkpoint on time. It is recommended that you be prepared for long lines by arriving about 3 hours before your departure.
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After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
