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The Truth About TSA Lines Right Now
- Christine Hardenberger
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
If you have been watching the news lately, you have probably seen the stories about TSA lines wrapping around airports and people waiting for hours to get through security. Places like Atlanta and New Orleans have absolutely had some very long lines, and those stories are true. However, the media is doing what the media does best, which is making it sound like every airport in the country is a disaster zone. The reality is much less dramatic.
At most airports, things are operating pretty normally.
Just in the past week, we have had clients and agents go through Chicago O’Hare, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Norfolk, and several other airports, with completely normal wait times. They arrived when they were supposed to arrive, went through security, and got on their flights without any chaos, sprinting through terminals, or sleeping on the airport floor.
That does not mean the long lines are not happening. They are. It just means they are not happening everywhere, every day, all the time.
So what should you do with all of this information?
The smartest thing you can do is check the website of the airport you are departing from the day before your flight. Most airport websites now show estimated TSA wait times and that will give you a much more accurate picture of what is happening at your specific airport.
You can also download the TSA app on your phone, which shows wait times and can give you a general idea of what to expect. Here is the link if you want to grab it:https://www.tsa.gov/mobile
This is also a good time to remind everyone of the general rule about airport arrival times. You should arrive at the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. That is the standard guideline that gives you a buffer for parking, checking bags, security lines, and the general unpredictability of air travel.
If you check your airport’s website the day before and it looks like things are moving slowly, add more time. If everything looks normal, stick with the standard timing. The key here is that you are making a decision based on your airport, your flight, and real information, not a scary headline.
This is a good example of why I send so many emails about air travel, insurance, and logistics, even though it is not the glamorous side of travel. The flights are usually the most unpredictable part of any trip and a little bit of planning and a little bit of extra time can be the difference between starting your vacation calmly or starting it in a full blown panic.
Right now, I am booking a lot of trips for late summer, fall, and into 2027, including river cruises, guided tours, and all inclusive resorts. Almost all of those trips involve flights. My job is not just to help you pick a great trip. My job is to help you get there and back with as few problems as possible.
As always, if you have a trip coming up and you are not sure how much time you should allow at the airport, or you are trying to decide between flight options, that is exactly the kind of thing I help my clients with every day. The right flight on the right day at the right time can make a huge difference in how smoothly a trip starts.
I hope this helps clear up some of the noise you are seeing online and on the news. Most people are still getting through airports just fine. You just want to go in with a plan and a realistic timeline.
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