Why TSA Lines Are So Long Right Now and What Travelers Can Do

A federal funding lapse has TSA officers working unpaid, fueling long airport security lines as spring break crowds ramp up

A partial government shutdown affecting TSA officers caused three-hour-long lines at airport security checkpoints the week of March 8, 2026. The lines are reminiscent of those travelers experienced during last year’s government shutdown, such as this one at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston in November 2025.

Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Berit Thorkelson,

AARP

Published March 11, 2026

Air travelers going through airport security may face longer-than-usual wait times in the coming weeks just as America is hitting peak spring break season.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have been working without pay since Feb. 14, after funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lapsed, causing staffing shortages. The effects of those shortages began to show on March 8, as air travelers in Houston and New Orleans reported waiting in line for hours. At one point, the estimated wait time at the standard security checkpoint at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston was three hours, according to the Associated Press (AP) and NBC News, among other sources.

Long waits continued into this week, according to the TSA, “causing missed flights and massive delays during peak travel,” said Lauren Bis, deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the DHS, in a written statement March 10.

Forty-nine percent of respondents in the AARP 2026 Travel Trends survey conducted Nov. 11 to Dec. 15, 2025, plan to travel domestically by airplane in 2026. And 14 percent of respondents were already voicing concern about getting through airport security.

Why TSA lines are so long right now

Unlike last fall’s 43-day government shutdown, which was the longest in U.S. history, these closures are targeted to agencies under the DHS umbrella, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the TSA, the AP reported.

The last shutdown ended after a shortage of air traffic controllers — who were working without pay — caused widespread flight delays and cancellations. Air traffic controllers are paid by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), not the DHS, so their paychecks continue during this shutdown.

TSA’s 50,000 officers received partial paychecks last month. The first full missed paycheck would be this week, which could lead to “financial hardship, absences and crippling staffing shortages,” Bis said.

Johnny J. Jones, secretary-treasurer for the union representing TSA workers, told the Wall Street Journal that most TSA officers work paycheck to paycheck, and that the last shutdown ate up accumulated financial cushions.

The spring break travelers expected over the next several weeks may further strain the system.

“We are in spring break travel season and expecting record numbers of people to take to the skies,” Chris Sununu, president and CEO of Airlines for America, a trade group for U.S. airlines, said in a statement. “We are seeing firsthand the significant strains that the current DHS shutdown is causing across the aviation system.”

How travelers can avoid or manage long TSA lines

A little extra planning can help ensure you make it to your flight on time.

Check on TSA lines from home. Many major airports have live or estimated TSA wait times listed on their websites. TSA is not updating its MyTSA app during the shutdown.
Earlier is better. During Sunday’s extreme waits, Houston’s Hobby Airport urged travelers via social media to arrive four to five hours early, the AP reported. The airport’s website currently recommends domestic travelers arrive three hours before their flight, and international travelers should budget for four.
Use TSA PreCheck or Clear. Expedited TSA PreCheck lanes are still open, as staffing permits. Though the PreCheck application process takes anywhere from three days to two months when TSA is normally staffed, the privately run company Clear has kiosks in about 60 airports to enroll travelers in minutes. It costs more than PreCheck — $209 per year for Clear bundled with PreCheck, versus $85 for five years for PreCheck only — though free trials are often available. The Global Entry program, which expedites American travelers returning to the U.S., reopened March 11. DHS had suspended the program on Feb. 22, citing the partial shutdown.
Be prepared. Ensure all liquids, aerosols and gels are 3.4 ounces or less and packed in a single clear quart-sized bag. Wear comfortable, easy-to-remove shoes, in case you’re asked to take them off. And have your boarding pass and ID ready when you reach the front of the line.
Pack your patience. Remember that TSA officers are not to blame for this inconvenience. In fact, they’re dealing with extra stress, on top of not being paid. Treat them kindly and have patience.

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Berit Thorkelson is a travel writer and editor for aarp.org. She has also written for publications such as National Geographic Traveler, Better Homes & Gardens and The Minnesota Star Tribune’s travel section.

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