TRAVEL & FOOD

Travelers across the United States are enduring some of the longest security wait times in TSA history as a partial government shutdown drives high staff call-out rates at major airports, forcing many hubs to warn passengers to arrive three to four hours early for domestic flights.

SAN DIEGO — Security wait times at San Diego International Airport have eased after chaotic scenes earlier this week, but travelers should still plan for variability as staffing shortages linked to the ongoing partial federal government shutdown continue to affect operations.

Travelers at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) are experiencing relatively normal TSA checkpoint wait times averaging 10 to 30 minutes as of late March 2026, a marked improvement from chaotic scenes over the weekend when some lines stretched up to two or three hours amid staffing shortages caused by the partial government shutdown.

Travelers at Philadelphia International Airport faced minimal delays at security checkpoints Thursday, with official wait times holding steady at just 3 minutes for standard screening across open terminals, even as temporary closures and a partial government shutdown forced passengers to fewer checkpoints.

Travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport faced minimal delays at security checkpoints Thursday, with wait times hovering between 2 and 5 minutes across its two main terminals, providing welcome relief amid broader national worries about TSA staffing shortages and spring travel surges.

Travelers at Boston Logan International Airport faced relatively smooth security lines Wednesday as TSA staffing held steady amid the ongoing partial government shutdown, with average wait times hovering between 10 and 20 minutes at most checkpoints despite national concerns over officer call-outs and absenteeism.

HOUSTON — Travelers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport faced grueling security lines Wednesday as the ongoing partial government shutdown continued to cripple TSA staffing, with wait times at the major Houston hub reaching as long as four hours or more during peak periods.

NEWARK, N.J. — Travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport faced unpredictable security lines Wednesday as a partial federal funding lapse triggered TSA staffing challenges across the nation, though waits at EWR remained relatively manageable compared to chaos reported at other major hubs.

SAN FRANCISCO — Travelers at San Francisco International Airport are experiencing relatively smooth security lines as of March 25, 2026, with TSA checkpoint wait times averaging between 10 and 20 minutes despite the ongoing partial government shutdown that has caused hours-long delays at many other major U.S. airports.

SEATTLE — Travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are experiencing relatively smooth security lines as of March 2026, with TSA checkpoint wait times averaging between 10 and 15 minutes even as a partial government shutdown leaves many screeners working without pay nationwide.

PHOENIX — Travelers at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) continued to experience relatively short TSA security wait times Wednesday amid the ongoing partial government shutdown, with most checkpoints reporting waits of under 15 minutes even as two Terminal 4 lanes remained closed due to staffing shortages.

Travelers at LaGuardia Airport faced chaotic and unpredictable security lines Wednesday as the ongoing partial government shutdown continued to strain Transportation Security Administration staffing, with some reports of waits reaching three hours at peak periods despite the airport's recent modernization efforts.

Travelers passing through Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) have largely avoided the hours-long security lines plaguing other major U.S. hubs as a partial federal government shutdown continues to strain Transportation Security Administration staffing nationwide.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Travelers at Orlando International Airport faced relatively smooth security lines Tuesday, March 24, 2026, with official wait times ranging from as little as 3 minutes to around 15 minutes across its checkpoints

CHICAGO — Travelers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport faced moderate to extended security lines Tuesday, March 24, 2026, with average TSA wait times hovering between 20 and 35 minutes at many checkpoints

ATLANTA — Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest, faced significant security delays Tuesday, March 24, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport faced relatively short security lines Tuesday, March 24, 2026, with official wait times reported as low as 0 to 2 minutes at the Tom Bradley International Terminal and averages hovering between 10 and 25 minutes across most checkpoints, even as a partial federal government shutdown continues to strain Transportation Security Administration staffing nationwide.

DENVER — Travelers at Denver International Airport faced relatively manageable security lines Tuesday, March 24, 2026, with real-time waits ranging from just a few minutes to around 15 minutes at most checkpoints, even as a partial federal government shutdown continues to affect Transportation Security Administration staffing nationwide.

NEW YORK - Travelers heading to John F. Kennedy International Airport on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, face significant uncertainty at security checkpoints as a partial federal government shutdown continues to strain Transportation Security Administration staffing, leading to long and unpredictable lines.

Travelers at many of the nation's busiest airports faced significant delays at TSA security checkpoints Tuesday as the partial government shutdown entered its fifth week, driving up officer call-out rates and forcing some facilities to advise passengers to arrive three to four hours early for domestic flights.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world's busiest international hub, remains open and operational on March 23, 2026, with hundreds of flights scheduled, arrivals, and departures proceeding despite persistent delays and schedule adjustments stemming from recent regional security developments in the Middle East.

Sydney — New Zealand continues to lead as the country sending the most visitors to Australia in early 2026, maintaining its position as the largest inbound market amid a robust post-pandemic recovery in international tourism.

Sydney — Sydney has solidified its status as a global coffee powerhouse in 2026, with four local venues earning spots on the prestigious World's 100 Best Coffee Shops list released in February. The rankings, compiled from expert judges and public votes, highlight the city's precision brewing, innovative sourcing, and vibrant café culture, outpacing rivals like Melbourne in top placements.

New York — An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey firefighting vehicle on a runway at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, injuring at least four people and forcing the temporary closure of the busy New York City airport, authorities said early Monday.

ISTANBUL — Istanbul Airport (IST), one of the world's busiest aviation hubs, is fully open and operating normally on Saturday, March 21, 2026, with no widespread closures, major shutdowns or emergency restrictions reported, according to official airport data, live flight trackers and Turkish authorities.

CAIRO — Cairo International Airport (CAI), Egypt's busiest aviation hub and a key gateway between Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, remains fully open and handling regular commercial passenger traffic on March 21, 2026, despite widespread disruptions across the broader Middle East due to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

MIAMI — Royal Caribbean International has canceled more than 20 sailings on its Freedom of the Seas ship scheduled for summer 2027, the cruise line confirmed in notifications to affected guests this week.

JEDDAH — King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED/OEJN), Saudi Arabia's busiest gateway and a major hub for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, continues to operate with scheduled commercial flights on March 21, 2026, despite ongoing regional security challenges stemming from the escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Zayed International Airport, the main gateway to the United Arab Emirates capital, is open and handling flights as of March 19