Travelers at several major U.S. airports faced significantly longer **Transportation Security Administration** (TSA) security lines in mid-March 2026, with wait times reaching up to three hours at some checkpoints. The delays, reported across hubs like Atlanta, Houston and New Orleans, stem from a partial government shutdown affecting federal staffing, compounded by high travel volumes and occasional weather disruptions.

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CNN has been tracking real-time TSA wait times at 15 key airports, including Atlanta (ATL), New York (JFK and LaGuardia), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN) and others. As of March 18, 2026, fluctuations were evident: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the nation's busiest, saw main checkpoint waits drop to around 20 minutes by late afternoon Tuesday after peaking at over 90 minutes earlier in the day for international terminals and 30-40 minutes for domestic. Reports from March 17 indicated morning spikes to three hours at ATL.

Houston's airports also experienced extended delays. William P. Hobby (HOU) reported up to 3.5 hours over the weekend, while George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) hovered near two hours. New Orleans Louis Armstrong International (MSY) saw lines up to two hours, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) had reports of lines stretching out the door. Charlotte Douglas (CLT) and Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) noted longer-than-normal waits, with some Chicago O'Hare (ORD) checkpoints hitting hour-long delays.

In contrast, other major hubs showed shorter lines during off-peak periods. Los Angeles International (LAX) reported waits as low as 2-6 minutes on March 17, and JFK in New York had minimal delays of just a few minutes Tuesday morning despite weekend crowds. Dallas-Fort Worth checkpoints generally stayed under 20 minutes in most terminals.

The TSA does not maintain a single nationwide real-time dashboard due to the decentralized nature of checkpoint data. Instead, the agency directs travelers to the **MyTSA mobile app**, available on iOS and Android. The app provides crowd-sourced and historical wait time estimates in 15-minute intervals, allowing users to check current conditions or forecast for specific days and times. It also includes weather updates, delay information and tips for security screening. During the partial shutdown, however, some data may rely more heavily on historical trends if live inputs lag.

Many airports publish their own live or near-real-time wait times on official websites, offering checkpoint-specific details:

- **Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL)**: Real-time updates at atl.com/times show varying times by terminal and checkpoint.

- **Miami International (MIA)**: miami-airport.com/tsa-waittimes.asp lists general, priority and TSA PreCheck lanes, with recent samples showing 3-14 minutes in some checkpoints.

- **Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)**: dfwairport.com/security provides per-terminal estimates.
- **Los Angeles (LAX)**: flylax.com/wait-times offers quick checks.

- **Orlando (MCO)**: Recent Florida reports showed 14-44 minutes depending on gates.

- Other sites like Reagan National (DCA), Baltimore-Washington (BWI) and Charlotte (CLT) feature dedicated wait-time pages or PreCheck schedules.

The current disruptions highlight ongoing TSA staffing pressures. A partial government shutdown has left many TSA employees working without full pay, prompting call-outs and lane closures — including some dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes at affected airports. Over half of Houston-area TSA staff reportedly called out in recent days, exacerbating lines. Private-contractor screening at select airports has insulated those locations from federal shutdown impacts.

Travelers are advised to arrive earlier than standard recommendations. Many airports now suggest three hours for domestic flights and longer for international, especially during peak periods. Enrolling in TSA PreCheck, CLEAR or other expedited programs can significantly reduce wait times where available. The MyTSA app and airport websites remain the best tools for planning, though data accuracy may vary amid operational challenges.

Spring break travel, combined with the shutdown, has amplified congestion at Sun Belt hubs like Atlanta, Florida airports and Texas facilities. Florida-specific updates from March 17 showed manageable waits at many smaller airports (e.g., 3-19 minutes at Northwest Florida Beaches), but major ones like Orlando and Miami experienced moderate increases.

Experts urge checking multiple sources before heading to the airport, as conditions can change rapidly due to staffing, weather or sudden volume surges. The TSA encourages using the app to report wait times if at the checkpoint, helping crowdsource better data for others.

As the partial shutdown persists, air travelers should monitor updates closely. The situation underscores the vulnerability of security operations to federal funding issues, with potential for continued variability until resolved.