Long TSA wait times plague U.S. airports amid DHS funding standoff

Travellers across the United States are experiencing record-long wait times at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints as the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues into its sixth week. Lines in some major airports have stretched for multiple hours, prompting airlines and airports to advise passengers to arrive well in advance of departure to avoid missing flights.

Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified before Congress this week that staffing shortages have reached “record-high wait times,” a situation driven by large numbers of TSA officers missing paychecks due to the shutdown. With absentee rates exceeding 40% at certain airports and more than 480 TSA officers having resigned or quit their positions, security checkpoints are struggling to keep pace with normal travel volume.

At some of the nation’s busiest hubs — including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston — travellers have reported wait times of three to four hours or more to clear security. Airlines such as United, Delta, and Allegiant have responded by waiving change fees for passengers delayed by prolonged screening lines.

The staffing crisis stems from a funding impasse in Congress over DHS appropriations, which has left many federal employees, including TSA personnel, working without pay since mid-February. With no resolution in sight, officials say wait times are unlikely to improve soon. McNeill warned that some smaller airports could face partial closures if staffing conditions do not stabilise.

In an effort to ease the pressure on security checkpoints, the administration has deployed officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — still funded outside the DHS shutdown — to assist with basic tasks such as crowd coordination and ID checks. However, these personnel are not trained TSA screeners, and their presence has had limited impact on overall wait times.

Passengers are advised to check airport advisory pages and mobile apps for updated wait-time information, though some data feeds have become unreliable due to reduced federal staffing. Frequent flyers with TSA PreCheck or CLEAR expedited screening access may still experience shorter lines, but even these lanes have been affected at many locations.

The situation comes as the U.S. prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with officials expressing concern that ongoing security screening challenges could complicate travel during the forthcoming surge in international and domestic passenger volume.