Flying soon? Airports say skip arriving extra early after TSA pay fix

While the security wait times at many U.S. airports have mostly returned to normal as payments for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers resume, some places are still seeing travelers arrive hours before their flights, a move airports say is no longer necessary.

Multiple airports have advised flyers to arrive only a few hours before their flights to allow ample time to get through TSA lines. Arriving too early can have the adverse effect of lengthening wait times, according to the airports.

As most airport wait times return to normal, here's what to know about when to arrive for your flight.

Airports in Texas, Ohio advise travelers not to arrive too early

Arriving too early at airports could make lines and wait times worse as TSA conditions return to normal, some airports have said. At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, it's recommended that travelers arrive two to three hours before their flights, the airport's spokesperson, Samantha Rojas, told USA TODAY.

"We always recommend that our travelers arrive 2.5 hours early for domestic flights, and 3 hours early for international flights," Rojas said. "This is to give them time to go through security and square away any pre-security items, like checking bags and parking their vehicle if they plan to park on-site."

Rojas added, "We also advise them not to arrive 4 or more hours early for their flight. This allows those travelers with earlier flights to get processed in a timely manner."

Denver International Airport, one of the world's busiest, told USA TODAY it's experiencing typical wait times as of April 2. The airport recommended travelers arrive two hours before their domestic flight boarding times and three hours before their international flights.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, said it has seen an improvement in wait times, "but they are still volatile and subject to spikes based on passenger volumes and staffing levels."

"We typically advise passengers arrive two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight, but additional time may still be warranted," the Port Authority said in an email to USA TODAT. "Travelers are strongly encouraged to check with their airline and the wait times listed on our airport websites before heading to the airport."

In Columbus, Ohio, John Glenn International Airport posted on X that arriving a bit earlier than two hours, around 90 minutes before your flight, is the "sweet spot" for travelers.

Similarly, multiple other airports have recommended travelers arrive around two hours before, including Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. At Orlando International Airport, the two-hour recommendation remained consistent throughout the lapse in funding, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Angela Starke told USA TODAY.

"One of the reasons we stay consistent with 'two hours at the checkpoint' is because MCO (Orlando International Airport) often processes large groups throughout the year, and there can be surges at the checkpoint," Starke said. "This spring break, we saw wait times extend; but they were usually under 45 minutes...fortunately, the airport did not experience a dramatic decrease in TSA staffing at the checkpoints as our local TSA agents continued to come to work, and we were grateful for their commitment."

USA TODAY contacted TSA regarding its recommendations for arrival times for flyers, but did not immediately receive a response.

Why are people showing up early to airports?

Travelers at airports across the country saw hours-long waits in security lines in March amid the partial government shutdown, which resulted in hundreds of TSA agents quitting or calling out of work, as they didn't receive paychecks. Due to long wait times, people began arriving at airports extremely early to try to make their flights on time, sometimes waiting in lines for multiple hours.

President Donald Trump signed an order on March 27 to redirect funds set for the Department of Homeland Security to TSA workers, who have since received paychecks. However, long-term funding still needs to be approved by lawmakers, who are currently on a previously scheduled recess until mid-April.

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] or on X @katecperez_.