Flying soon? Here's how to check TSA wait times as shutdown impacts airports

A partial government shutdown is causing some travelers to wait hours in lines for Transportation Security Administration screening as airports experience staff shortages.

Over the weekend, airports across the country, including Houston's William P. Hobby Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, confirmed long wait times, according to previous USA TODAY reporting, with Hobby Airport lines averaging over three hours.

Funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA, lapsed on Feb. 13. About 50,000 airport security screeners are now working without pay after lawmakers in Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms. DHS also oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other border agencies.

As the partial shutdown continues, the delays may not be isolated to the Houston or New Orleans hubs. In a statement, DHS warned that: "Travelers are facing TSA lines of up to nearly three hours long at some major airports, causing missed flights and massive delays during peak travel."

With the ongoing airport woes, here's how to check TSA wait times.

Is MyTSA mobile app and TSA website info up to date?

Travelers should be aware that some information on the TSA website isn’t being updated because of the ongoing government shutdown, the agency said in a statement on Feb. 17. Banners on both the TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection websites warn that, “Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed.”

That’s different from the last government shutdown that ran from October to November 2025, when TSA security wait times continued to update as usual.

This time, TSA confirmed to USA TODAY via email that both the MyTSA mobile app and the agency’s wait‑time tracker are down because of a partial U.S. government shutdown now in its fourth week.

What travelers can do now

Travelers looking for current security wait times can check the Airport Insight website, which is still providing airport‑by‑airport estimates.

TSA suggests airline passengers visit specific airport websites or apps for information on wait times.

How to check delays, cancellations

Passengers can also check if their flight has been delayed or canceled directly on their airline's website using a flight number. Anyone wanting to check on overall delays can do so on FlightAware, which tracks arrival and departure times at U.S. airports.

This story has been updated with new information.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected]

Contributing: USA TODAY's Melina Khan and Zach Wichter