Airport Security Lines Hit 3 Hours — Spring Break Travelers Beware

Quick Summary

TSA security wait times have exceeded three hours at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport during the spring break travel rush

A partial government shutdown lasting more than three weeks has caused TSA staffing shortages and unpaid workers, driving the delays

New Orleans airport is urging all passengers to arrive at least three hours early, warning delays could continue through the week

Global Entry remains suspended at airports nationwide, adding further delays for international travelers returning to the US

Security lines at major US airports have ballooned to more than three hours as a partial government shutdown — now stretching past three weeks — collides head-on with the spring break travel season. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confirmed to Travel + Leisure that on Sunday, travelers at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) waited over three hours at checkpoints, with lines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) exceeding one hour. Travel experts are calling this a "perfect storm" for American flyers — and warn that conditions are likely to worsen before they improve.

Which Airports Are Worst Affected Right Now

The TSA confirmed elevated wait times at a cluster of major hubs on Sunday:

Houston William P. Hobby Airport (HOU): Wait times exceeded three hours
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY): Lines surpassed one hour
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL): Peak wait times hit one hour
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): Lines approached one hour
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT): Security queues stretched to nearly one hour

New Orleans International has already issued a public warning, posting on X that all travelers should plan to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departure and flagging that delays are expected to continue through the rest of the week.

The Shutdown Is Creating a "Perfect Storm" for Flyers

The partial government shutdown — ongoing for more than three weeks — has directly hit TSA operations. Workers have received only partial paychecks and are now facing their first completely missed paycheck, according to Lauren Bis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"These frontline heroes received only partial paychecks earlier this month and now face their first full missed paycheck, leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages," Bis told Travel + Leisure. DHS has formally called on Congress to fund the agency.

Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Going.com, says the financial strain on agents is directly translating into reduced headcount at checkpoints. "There's less people working," she said, "and unfortunately, we could see this each day."

Spring Break Is Amplifying the Problem for Weeks, Not Days

Nastro is explicit that this is not a one-weekend disruption. Spring break spans a rolling window of roughly two months, not a single week — meaning passenger volumes will remain consistently elevated across the entire period.

"Families are traveling a lot more, and there is going to be a consistent uptick in the amount of people traveling for the next few weeks," she told Travel + Leisure. The combination of peak seasonal demand and understaffed security checkpoints is what Nastro describes as the "perfect storm."

She added that while travelers are largely showing patience with longer waits, the burden falls disproportionately on the agents themselves. "It is a drop in the bucket in comparison to the very full, anxious, and burdensome reality for these TSA workers," she said.

Global Entry Is Suspended — International Travelers Face Extra Delays

Travelers returning from international trips face an additional complication: the popular Global Entry trusted traveler program remains suspended at airports across the country. Global Entry typically allows pre-approved travelers to bypass standard customs queues, but that option is currently unavailable nationwide — meaning all international arrivals are processed through standard customs lanes, extending wait times further.

To partially offset this, Nastro recommended downloading the Mobile Passport Control app, a free tool that can speed up the customs re-entry process. However, she cautioned that it is not a guaranteed time-saver at every airport. "It's not consistently going to be the end-all time saver for everybody at every airport if they're coming back into the country from an international trip," she said.

Key Facts at a Glance

3+ hours: Peak security wait time confirmed at Houston Hobby (HOU) on Sunday
3+ weeks: Duration of the partial government shutdown causing TSA staffing shortages
First full missed paycheck: TSA workers now face complete loss of pay, driving absences
5 airports confirmed with elevated wait times: HOU, MSY, ATL, IAH, CLT
Global Entry suspended nationwide — all international arrivals routed through standard customs
Mobile Passport Control app available free as a partial alternative to Global Entry
Spring break spans a two-month window of elevated demand — disruptions are not expected to resolve quickly
New Orleans airport advising arrive 3 hours early for all departures; warnings extend through the week

What This Means for Travelers

The standard advice of arriving two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights is no longer sufficient during this period. Nastro and airport officials are both recommending travelers build in even more buffer than the standard guidance suggests.

Here is what to do right now:

Arrive at least three hours early for all flights — domestic and international — until the shutdown ends and TSA staffing normalises
Check your airport's website before leaving home — many offer real-time TSA checkpoint wait time data
Download the Mobile Passport Control app (free) if you are returning from an international trip and Global Entry is not available
Do not rely on Global Entry — it remains fully suspended nationwide and cannot be used for re-entry at this time
Allow extra buffer for connections — if your itinerary involves a tight connection at a major hub, contact your airline about alternatives in case security delays push you past boarding time

Looking Ahead

The TSA staffing crisis and its impact on security lines will persist for as long as the partial shutdown continues and paychecks remain unpaid. With spring break travel running at peak levels for the coming weeks and no announced resolution to the shutdown, travelers should treat extended security lines as the baseline expectation — not the exception — for the foreseeable future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are airport security lines so long right now during spring break? Two forces are combining simultaneously. A partial government shutdown lasting more than three weeks has left TSA agents without full pay — including a now completely missed paycheck — driving financial hardship, absenteeism, and staffing shortages at security checkpoints. At the same time, the spring break travel season is generating a sustained surge in passenger volumes that spans roughly two months. Travel expert Katy Nastro of Going.com has described this combination as a "perfect storm" for US air travel.

Which airports have the worst TSA wait times right now? As of Sunday, TSA confirmed the longest waits at Houston William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), where lines exceeded three hours. New Orleans (MSY) and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) both hit one-hour wait times. Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Charlotte Douglas (CLT) also reported lines approaching one hour. Travelers can check individual airport websites for real-time TSA wait time updates.

Is Global Entry still working during the government shutdown? No. The Global Entry trusted traveler program is currently suspended at airports nationwide. International travelers returning to the US cannot use Global Entry and will be processed through standard customs lanes. The free Mobile Passport Control app offers a partial alternative but does not deliver consistent time savings at every airport.

How early should I arrive at the airport during the spring break shutdown delays? Standard guidance — two hours for domestic, three hours for international — is no longer adequate during the current disruption. New Orleans International Airport has publicly recommended arriving at least three hours before departure for all flights, with warnings that delays will continue through the week. Travelers with tight connections should consider arriving even earlier and contacting their airline about alternative itineraries.