Government Shutdown Makes Airport Security Wait Times Unpredictable Nationwide

Unpaid TSA workers are calling out sick during the government shutdown, creating unpredictable security line delays at airports across the country. Some travelers are waiting up to three hours to get through checkpoints, while other airports see normal wait times.

Airport security checkpoint delays have become impossible to predict during the ongoing government shutdown, as Transportation Security Administration worker attendance varies daily and determines whether passengers face quick processing or extensive waits that extend beyond terminal buildings.

At Houston’s primary airport on Thursday morning, passengers faced wait times lasting several hours because of inadequate staffing, forcing some travelers to miss their departures or rush frantically to boarding gates.

Meanwhile, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport experienced mostly manageable to brief delays, despite having some of Wednesday’s most extensive security queues nationwide, though officials closed one screening area because of insufficient personnel.

Aviation specialists say forecasting which locations will experience the most severe delays at any moment proves difficult since the core issue involves TSA employees failing to report for scheduled work. Approximately 50,000 federal employees responsible for screening travelers and luggage continue working without compensation as Congress remains unable to reach agreement on Department of Homeland Security funding.

This marks the third shutdown impacting TSA staff since autumn began. Increasing financial pressure makes it more challenging for workers to cover essential expenses such as fuel or childcare while maintaining their work schedules, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents the majority of airport security screening personnel. Homeland Security reports that no fewer than 366 TSA agents have resigned since the current shutdown started February 14.

“This is a very unfortunate situation and an extreme situation, and one that has been dragging on far too long, and is only likely to get worse,” said Eric Rosen, director of travel content for the travel and finance site The Points Guy.

Rosen recommended that passengers verify security checkpoint delays at their departure airport by visiting the facility’s website or checking social media updates. Many airports also indicate which screening locations remain operational versus closed, he noted.

This information proves valuable for most passengers using standard security processing, he explained. However, given current circumstances, expedited screening programs offer significant advantages. When Houston wait times reached three hours recently, TSA PreCheck passengers completed screening in just 10 minutes, Rosen observed.

“It can cut down wait times even during the best times when things are flowing smoothly, but right now we’re seeing the true value of that,” he said.

Clear+ membership provides another method for reducing delays, allowing subscribers to bypass identity verification and boarding pass checking lines to proceed directly to baggage screening. The company refused to disclose whether membership has increased over the past month.

However, traveler Sara Oberton reported Thursday that she and other Houston passengers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Terminal E were directed into a single queue, despite having Clear+ or TSA PreCheck access. Airport representatives declined to provide details, stating only that available TSA screening lanes fluctuate based on staffing availability.

Oberton, who works as a fashion blogger, spent three hours in line, causing her to miss her Los Angeles flight.

“It is pure insanity here in Houston,” she said in a video posted on social media.

Rosen from The Points Guy offered guidance for passengers who arrive hours early but still risk missing flights: Request assistance from airline staff to move ahead in line.

“I know it’s a little cringe and I know it’s a little uncomfortable,” he said. “But it’s not like showing up 20 minutes before your flight and expecting just to breeze through.”

Airlines have no obligation to assist passengers delayed by TSA staffing problems, he cautioned.

“It’s not on them to make sure that you get to the gate on time,” he said.