Travel March 27, 2026 0 Comments

Could a Pay Raise for TSA Officers Finally Unlock the Secret to Faster Airport Security Lines?

Have you ever found yourself staring down what seemed like an endless TSA line, wondering if the wait would ever end—or if you’d make your flight at all? Well, brace yourself, because the era of three- and four-hour security delays at major airports might finally be coming to a close. Despite the ongoing partial government shutdown that’s kept TSA agents working without a paycheck since mid-February, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Just this Thursday, President Donald Trump ordered Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to “immediately pay” the tireless TSA officers, citing an urgent “emergency” at the nation’s airports. It’s a dramatic pivot, especially when lawmakers are still gridlocked and about to break for recess. So, could a paycheck arriving this Friday be the magic fix that gets the TSA back on its feet and security lines flowing smoothly again? Or has the strain of multiple shutdowns left scars too deep for a quick recovery? As travelers brace for a weekend of unpredictable wait times, airlines have already stepped up with travel waivers, while our beloved TSA app remains frustratingly unreliable. Hang tight, folks—there’s plenty to unpack here about what this means for your next trip and how airports are gearing up for one of the busiest seasons yet. LEARN MORE

The end may be near for the major airport security delays we’ve seen at airports across the country.

Despite the ongoing partial government shutdown, it appears Transportation Security Administration officers are on the verge of getting a paycheck for the first time in several weeks.

In a social media post Thursday, President Donald Trump directed just-installed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin “to immediately pay” TSA officers, citing an “emergency” situation at airports.

The big question now: Whether a paycheck on Friday could bring a swift end to the mass call-outs the TSA has faced in recent weeks, which have led to three- and four-hour security lines at several of the nation’s busiest hubs.

TSA officers have been working without pay since Feb. 14 amid a shutdown at DHS.

As of Thursday night, lawmakers had yet to agree to a funding deal that would end the shutdown — and were on the verge of leaving town for a two-week recess. With no deal in place, it appeared the Trump administration had instead opted to use executive action to pay officers.

In a statement late Thursday the nonpartisan U.S. Travel Association “applauded” the move, while cautioning that it would serve as merely a “stopgap measure.”

Meanwhile, a lobbying group for the top U.S. airlines said paying TSA officers would “help restore order” at airports.

TSA delays continue to mount

Terminals have been anything but orderly as this shutdown has dragged on.

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Flyers have faced the longest average wait times in the nearly 25-year history of the TSA, the agency’s top leader said this week.

A security line reaches outside the terminal this week at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). MEGAN VARNER/GETTY IMAGES

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) have been among the hardest hit, with travelers regularly running into four-hour backups on some of the worst days.

Other hubs have had to shutter certain security checkpoints, and fast-tracked services like Clear and TSA PreCheck have been suspended at some terminals.

TSA officials warned some smaller airports may have to suspend service if conditions got much worse.

“We are being forced to consolidate lanes and may have to close smaller airports if we do not have enough offers. It is a fluid, challenging and unpredictable situation,” acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified this week on Capitol Hill.

Will TSA lines get back to normal?

Even if TSA officers get paid in short order, as expected, it’s still not certain how quickly airport security checkpoints will bounce back to normal wait times.

One reason for optimism: After last fall’s larger federal shutdown finally ended after 43 days, call-outs among air traffic controllers immediately lessened — and flight operations rapidly improved.

Will the same be true of TSA officers?

Travelers, airlines and lawmakers alike can hope.

However, it’s important to keep in mind: TSA officers have now had to endure not one — but two — 40-plus day shutdowns since October, going without paychecks during both stretches.

So it’s certainly possible it could take some time for TSA checkpoint operations to snap back to normal.

Travelers wait in a security line at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). MEGAN VARNER/GETTY IMAGES

And if you’re headed to the airport this weekend — especially on Friday and Sunday — I’d continue to prepare for the possibility of longer lines than normal. Here’s a rundown of my top tips for getting through security during this unpredictable stretch.

Airlines issue travel waivers

As of late Thursday night, Delta Air Lines had flexible travel waivers in place for customers ATL and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

United Airlines had done the same for its Houston hub.

And, as TPG reported earlier this week, budget carrier Allegiant Air had granted customers significant flexibility to change their tickets during the shutdown.

TSA app remains unreliable

Also, keep in mind: the TSA’s app that typically shows live checkpoint wait times will likely remain unreliable, since it’s not updated regularly during a federal shutdown.

And while officers were set to get paid, the agency itself remains technically shut down.

Your bet bet before heading to the airport: continue to check your airport’s website and social media feed, and see whether it offers a wait time tracker of its own.

Bottom line

Even beyond this federal shutdown — which, by the way, still technically isn’t over — longer-term concerns remain at airports.

Already, some 480 TSA officers have left their jobs since this latest partial federal shutdown began, McNeill testified this week.

And considering it takes months to train new hires, she noted this could pose a major problem ahead of one of the century’s biggest sporting events in the U.S. this summer.

“This is a dire situation,” McNeill said. “We are facing a potential perfect storm of severe staffing shortages and an influx of millions of passengers at our airports for the World Cup games in less than 80 days.”

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