TSA Wait Times Hit 3.5 Hours as DHS Government Shutdown 2026 Ruins Spring Break Travel
The DHS government shutdown is turning Spring Break 2026 into a travel nightmare. TSA wait times have exploded at major airports across the country — stretching past three hours in Houston, two hours in New Orleans, and nearly an hour in Atlanta — as unpaid TSA screeners call out in growing numbers heading into the busiest travel weeks of the year.
Thursday marks the day TSA officers receive their first fully missed paycheck since the shutdown began.
Why TSA Wait Times Are This Bad Right Now
DHS funding expired February 14 after lawmakers failed to reach a deal, leaving TSA agents classified as essential workers — required to keep working despite receiving no paycheck. They did receive a partial payment on February 28. That was the last one.
Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the TSA union's bargaining unit, said morale has cratered. "Over the last 15 months, TSA officers have gone through three government shutdowns," Jones told the Associated Press, adding it took months for many workers to recover financially from the previous 43-day shutdown.
The financial squeeze is showing up in the data. Hobby Airport in Houston has been the worst flashpoint, with lines topping three hours Sunday and holding above two hours through Tuesday. Officials attributed the outsized impact to higher TSA callout rates at Hobby compared to Bush Intercontinental, where most checkpoints reported waits of three to five minutes.
MSY Airport, Philadelphia, MSP, and Chicago O'Hare All Affected
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport warned travelers to expect waits of up to two hours — delays that the airport said could continue through the rest of the week. The security line there wrapped out of the terminal and across a nearby parking garage on Sunday.
Long TSA lines were also reported at Chicago O'Hare on March 9, with Minneapolis-St. Paul, Charlotte Douglas, and Philadelphia International all logging above-average wait times. More than 2.7 million travelers cleared TSA checkpoints on Sunday alone — a spring break surge that would strain a fully staffed system, let alone one hemorrhaging workers.
TSA PreCheck and Mobile Passport Control: What Still Works
TSA PreCheck is operational. DHS initially threatened to close PreCheck lanes to redirect agents to standard screening, then reversed course. PreCheck travelers at most airports are reporting wait times ranging from 15 minutes to about an hour depending on time of day.
Global Entry — shuttered since February 22 — came back online at 5 AM ET Wednesday. DHS confirmed the reactivation, saying the department was able to resume the service as it continually evaluates measures it can take amid the funding lapse. Mobile Passport Control remains active at participating airports and is cutting meaningful time off international arrivals.
The Politics Behind the DHS Shutdown
Democrats in Congress refused to fund DHS after federal immigration agents fatally shot two Americans — Alex Pretti and Renee Good — in Minneapolis earlier this year. Democratic lawmakers have said DHS will not receive funding until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations.
DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis pushed back hard. "These political stunts force patriotic TSA officers, who protect our skies from serious threats, to work without pay," Bis said. House Homeland Democrats countered on X that Republicans blocked a clean funding bill with no conditions attached.
What Travelers Should Do Right Now
Airlines for America president Chris Sununu called the delays unacceptable. "It's unacceptable to have wait times of 2 or 3 hours. And it's unacceptable that TSA officers will have $0 in their paychecks this week," Sununu said.
Travelers flying during Spring Break 2026 should arrive at least three to four hours before domestic departures — four to five hours at Houston Hobby specifically — check airport social media for real-time TSA wait time updates, use TSA PreCheck or CLEAR where available, and verify flight status the morning of travel, as security congestion is backing up departures.
No resolution vote is currently scheduled in Congress.
