US EditionAirport Security Lines Are Spilling Out of Terminals. How Can You Track Wait Times?
TSA staffing shortages during the DHS shutdown have led to unpredictable waits and at least 366 agent quits, causing long lines at major U.S. airports nationwide.
- On Thursday, March 19, 2026, security lines stretched outside George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston as daily Transportation Security Administration officer attendance created unpredictable wait times for travelers during spring break.
- The Department of Homeland Security has not been fully funded since Feb. 13, leaving about 120,000 DHS employees, including 50,000 TSA agents, working without pay and prompting at least 366 screeners to quit.
- When wait times hit three hours in Houston recently, getting through TSA PreCheck took 10 minutes, according to Eric Rosen, director of travel content for The Points Guy. Airports recommend checking websites or social media for checkpoint status.
- House Democrats launched a discharge petition on Wednesday to force a vote on legislation paying TSA agents, but Senate rules require 60 votes and the last funding attempt on March 12 failed to advance.
- As the Department of Homeland Security's partial shutdown grinds through its fifth week—the third affecting TSA workers since fall—House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters Thursday that "there is no reason" shuttered agencies should remain closed while agents work unpaid.
15 Articles
15 Articles
The Morning Call
San Gabriel Valley TribuneWhere will TSA lines be the longest tomorrow? During the shutdown, nobody knows
The wait times at airport security checkpoints have become a guessing game during the shutdown of a single U.S. government department. Absences among Transportation Security Administration officers are a major factor in determining whether lines move quickly or stretch far outside terminals.
Spectrum Local News
As airport security lines grow, lawmakers continue to bicker over DHS funding
On day 34 of a partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown, Republicans and Democrats seem no closer to resolving their differences over ICE.
Detroit Airport Facing Extended Wait Times From Weather, Government Shutdown
Photo: Eric Seals ~ USA TODAY NETWORK PODCAST: March 17, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds speak with John Pistole, former TSA administrator. They discuss the impact of TSA agent resignations and airport wait times due to funding issues.DETROIT ~ Bad weather and an ongoing government shutdown are causing flight delays and long wait times at airport security, including at the Detroit Metro Airport. TSA has been short…
TSA wait times during partial shutdown—what’s happening?
TSA wait times are spiking as the shutdown drags on With the partial U.S. government shutdown in effect, TSA screeners have reportedly been working without pay since mid February. As that pay disruption continues, airports are seeing longer security lines and more extreme delays at checkpoints.…
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