Scenes from airport security lines Leakage from terminals It may add a new layer of stress for travelers as the busy spring break season begins.
I have seen some airports Wait times are extended Good last hour. In recent days, passengers reported waiting up to two hours in line at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, while people were advised to arrive at airports. In New Orleans and Austin, Texasup to three hours before their flights.
Many other airports reported wait times in line with normal conditions, making it difficult for travelers — especially those with upcoming flights or those accustomed to last-minute arrivals — to know what to expect.
Asymmetric delays are driven by a combination of factors, including a Partial government shutdown Which led to fatigue for TSA employees, along with heavy spring break crowds. The result is a patchwork of conditions that can change quickly, even within the same airport.
This unpredictability makes checking TSA wait times before scheduled departure an essential step for airline customers right now.
TSA is not actively managing its sites during the shutdown, which means wait times listed on the MyTSA mobile app may not be accurate. Estimated wait times listed on third-party websites that track TSA lines may also be out of date during the shutdown if they are based on publicly available data, experts say.
“Fortunately, major airports tend to list those checkpoint times, station by station,” said Eric Rosen, director of travel content at The Points Guy, a travel and financial advice site. “I can’t think of a major airport that doesn’t do that.”
Rosen said the most reliable way to monitor wait times right now is to check airport websites and social media accounts, including the X social media platform, where many airports share timely updates and guidance.
However, travelers should keep in mind that airport conditions can change quickly, which means that any information may not reflect what is happening at a specific time.
Experts say it’s best to check airport conditions early and often. Waiting until a few hours before your flight can leave little or no margin for delay – for example, if the ride to the airport takes 45 minutes for a flight leaving in three hours.
The shutdown, which began on February 14, affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration. This is the third funding cut in a year that has left nearly 50,000 TSA agents Unpaid work And waiting for money from missed paychecks.
Employee absences are on the rise as the shutdown continues because unpaid TSA workers face increasing financial pressures, making it difficult to afford basics, like gas or child care, while still reporting for work, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represents most airport security monitors. The Department of Homeland Security said at least 366 TSA agents resigned during the shutdown.
“It’s very difficult to predict where these bottlenecks will appear,” Rosen said. “An airport might have 30% of TSA agents calling on one day and 10% the next. There’s no way to know that in advance.”
Congressional Democrats said the Department of Homeland Security will not receive funding until new restrictions are imposed on federal immigration operations in the wake of the deadly shooting. Alex Pretty and Rene is good In Minneapolis earlier this year.
Tyler Hosford, director of security at global risk management firm International SOS, said travelers should take a proactive approach rather than rely solely on monitoring TSA wait times.
When booking travel, flying early in the day can be beneficial, he said, because passengers will have more time to adjust their plans if something goes wrong — whether that means rebooking another flight, departing from a different airport, or arranging a rental car.
“I always say you should have a backup plan under the best circumstances,” Hosford said. “But I think we’re getting to a point where you need to start having a Plan C and D and maybe even E.”
Hosford said that if travelers arrive at the airport in long lines, the situation does not have to be hopeless.
Travelers can ask staff at security checkpoints for an estimated wait time and if any assistance is available to move through the line more quickly.
“Always talk to people. It never hurts to ask,” Hosford said. The worst they can say is: ‘No, we can’t help you.’
If that happens, contact the airline — by phone, via its mobile app or via social media — to ask about rebooking options, he said.
“Never stay stagnant. You want to move forward trying to find your options,” he said. “It may seem stressful, but the alternative is that you could get stuck and miss your flight.”