A perfect storm of a partial government shutdown and peak spring break travel has turned America's airports into chaos zones this week. With roughly 50,000 TSA agents working without pay — and their first full missed paycheck arriving Saturday, March 14 — security wait times have exploded to three hours or more at major hubs including Houston's Hobby Airport, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, and Charlotte Douglas.

DHS Shutdown Day 24: Why TSA Is Understaffed and Lines Are Exploding

DHS funding lapsed February 13 after Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms, leaving roughly 50,000 airport security screeners working without pay.

TSA workers received only a partial paycheck on February 28 and will miss their first full paycheck on March 14. With TSA workers set to miss that first full paycheck this week, an increased number of them are taking unscheduled time off — leading to long lines and delays.

Industry leaders have warned the situation will get worse before it gets better: "We're going to see sickouts. We're going to see screeners who love their jobs but are going to be forced to look for other jobs. TSA is going to do their very best to try and keep those lines moving, but they're not going to sacrifice safety."

MSY Airport New Orleans: Lines Stretching Into the Parking Garage

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport confirmed TSA waits extending up to two hours Monday morning. Footage from a CNN affiliate showed the security line stretching outside the airport terminal and into a parking garage, circling around seven times before entering the building.

New Orleans Airport posted on social media advising travelers to plan to arrive three hours early. The airport confirmed the long waits were a direct result of the DHS shutdown reducing TSA staffing levels at its checkpoints.

Houston Hobby Airport Among Worst Affected: Arrive Four to Five Hours Early

Hobby Airport advised travelers to arrive four to five hours before their scheduled flight. One traveler told ABC13: "We got here at 10 a.m. My flight was departing at 1:50 p.m. We're not going to make that." Houston Airports is expecting approximately 2.2 million travelers during the 2026 spring break travel period from March 5 through March 16 — a 3% increase over last year.

The spring break travel crunch in Houston is compounded by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the World Baseball Classic being held at Daikin Park, and expanded cruise departures from Galveston — drawing visitors from around the world into the same bottlenecked terminals simultaneously.

Which Airports Are Affected and What to Do Right Now

Airports currently reporting extended TSA wait times include Houston's Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental, New Orleans International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, and Charlotte Douglas International in North Carolina.

Travelers are advised to check security wait times in advance, though the MyTSA mobile app is not being updated during the shutdown — meaning the data presented may not be accurate. TSA PreCheck lines remain open at many airports and are moving significantly faster than standard lanes.

DHS Leadership Shake-Up Adds to the Uncertainty

The delays come as DHS braces for a new leader after President Donald Trump fired Secretary Kristi Noem last week and tapped Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her starting March 31.

Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu called the disruption unacceptable: "Airlines have done their part to prepare; now Congress and the administration must act with urgency to reach a deal that reopens DHS and ends this shutdown. America's transportation security workforce is too important to be used as political leverage."

With peak spring break days projected for March 12 and March 15, and TSA paychecks set to hit zero by Saturday, travel experts are urging anyone flying this week to add significant extra time — and pack their patience.