Airport security lines across the United States have stretched far beyond typical wait times, with some travelers facing delays exceeding two and a half hours. The root cause is straightforward: a government shutdown that began February 14, 2026, has left 50,000 TSA workers operating without paychecks, resulting in staff absences and checkpoints that cannot accommodate normal passenger volumes. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, has reported wait times exceeding 2.5 hours, while Houston’s security checkpoints hit 120 minutes on March 18. This article explains what’s happening at the nation’s airports right now, why seniors and people with cognitive challenges face particular risks during these delays, and what you need to know to navigate airport security safely during this unpredictable period.
Table of Contents
- Why TSA Staffing Has Collapsed and What It Means for Security Lines
- The Hardest-Hit Airports and How Bad It Actually Gets
- Why Extended Airport Security Waits Hit Seniors and People with Cognitive Challenges Particularly Hard
- Practical Strategies When Airport Security Is Unpredictable
- The Airports Not Experiencing Security Delays (A Possible Alternative)
- Using Real-Time Data to Plan Your Travel
- When Will This End and What to Expect in the Coming Weeks
- Conclusion
Why TSA Staffing Has Collapsed and What It Means for Security Lines
The government shutdown beginning February 14, 2026, has created an unprecedented crisis in airport security. All 50,000 TSA officers continue working—they have no choice—but they’re doing so without paychecks. When workers missed their first full paychecks the week of March 16, 2026, the impact became visible immediately: call-out rates soared. In Houston, over 50 percent of TSA staff called out sick; in Atlanta and New Orleans, nearly one-third did. Philadelphia closed three of its security checkpoints entirely due to insufficient staffing. Beyond the immediate crisis, approximately 300 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began, reducing the workforce permanently.
The math is simple and grim. Fewer officers mean fewer open checkpoints. Fewer checkpoints mean longer lines. During spring break season—when 2.8 million travelers are projected to fly daily across U.S. airlines in March and April—this collapse in capacity creates genuine bottlenecks. Standard TSA checkpoints are averaging 15 to 30 minutes nationally at major airports, but worst-case scenarios like Atlanta and Houston show that “average” has become meaningless. Some travelers face tripled waits, and there is no quick fix: until the government shutdown ends and workers receive back pay, the stress on the system will persist.
The Hardest-Hit Airports and How Bad It Actually Gets
The severity of wait times varies dramatically by airport. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which handles more passengers than any other U.S. airport, reported wait times exceeding 2.5 hours on peak days. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston hit 120-minute waits on March 18. LaGuardia, JFK, and Houston all reported travelers facing waits exceeding 40 minutes, well above the national baseline.
Louis Armstrong International Airport in new Orleans advised passengers to arrive three hours before their scheduled departure—a 50 percent increase over the standard two-hour early arrival recommendation for domestic flights. However, if you are flying through a major airport with TSA PreCheck lanes, conditions improve significantly. TSA PreCheck lanes are typically running under 10 minutes nationwide, even at airports experiencing long regular checkpoint lines. This matters especially for older travelers and anyone with mobility or cognitive challenges; the faster PreCheck process means less standing, less stress, and fewer opportunities for confusion or disorientation in crowded, chaotic security areas. The tradeoff is that TSA PreCheck requires advance enrollment, an online application, an in-person appointment, and a $78 to $85 five-year fee. If you travel frequently or have family members with dementia who will be flying, that investment pays for itself quickly.
Why Extended Airport Security Waits Hit Seniors and People with Cognitive Challenges Particularly Hard
People with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cognitive conditions often find airport travel already stressful: the noise, the crowds, the need to follow complex sequences of steps (remove shoes, belt, jacket; place items in bins; proceed through screening). Extended security lines amplify every source of that stress. A person waiting in line for 15 minutes in a calm, predictable environment may handle it well. That same person waiting 90 minutes in a crowded, noisy corridor with no clear end in sight often becomes agitated, confused, or overwhelmed. Dehydration is a secondary risk—many people do not think to drink water while standing in line—which compounds cognitive difficulties.
Additionally, long waits create time pressure. A person with early-stage dementia who was managing their travel independently may miss their flight if security takes three times longer than expected, leading to missed medical appointments, lost money on tickets, and increased caregiver stress. The unpredictability itself is a problem. Routine and predictability help people with cognitive decline manage their environment. “Security will take 20 minutes” is manageable to plan around. “Security might take anywhere from 30 to 150 minutes” creates anxiety that extends from the morning of travel backward through the previous night, disrupting sleep and baseline cognitive function.
Practical Strategies When Airport Security Is Unpredictable
If someone in your care will be flying during this crisis period, adjust your buffer time upward. The standard advice to arrive two hours early for domestic flights is now insufficient at major airports. Plan for three hours, especially if traveling through Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans, or another airport with documented long waits. Use the MyTSA App or the DHS Wait Times tracker (dhs.gov/check-wait-times) to check real-time wait times on the morning of travel—these tools pull live data from TSA checkpoints and show historical patterns for specific airports and specific times of day. Many security lines are shorter in early morning hours or late evening.
If the person has TSA PreCheck enrollment, always use the dedicated PreCheck lane—it is reliably faster. If TSA PreCheck is not already enrolled, consider applying now, knowing that there may be delays in getting an appointment depending on local demand. In the interim, consider alternative airports if feasible. For example, if you are traveling to the San Francisco Bay Area, you might fly into San Francisco International Airport (which has private security contractors and is not experiencing TSA delays) rather than an airport managed by TSA. Bring water, medications, and entertainment to the airport. If the person becomes distressed or confused while waiting, having their ID, a list of current medications, and a point of contact readily available can help TSA staff assist them if needed.
The Airports Not Experiencing Security Delays (A Possible Alternative)
Twenty U.S. airports operate with private security contractors instead of TSA personnel. These airports are not affected by the government shutdown and are not experiencing long security lines. San Francisco International Airport, Kansas City International Airport, and Orlando Sanford International Airport are among those still operating normally.
If you have flexibility in your travel route or can reach one of these airports, you will avoid the crisis entirely—a significant advantage for anyone traveling with an older adult or someone whose stamina or cognitive tolerance for stress is limited. The tradeoff is that these airports are not as numerous as TSA-staffed airports, and flying through them may require a connection elsewhere or a longer ground drive. However, for caregivers and people with dementia, sometimes the slower route is the less stressful route. A 90-minute drive to an airport with short security lines, followed by a relaxed security experience and connection flight, may be less taxing overall than a shorter drive to a major hub airport where you stand in line for two hours with a person who is becoming increasingly confused and anxious.
Using Real-Time Data to Plan Your Travel
The TSA’s MyTSA App provides real-time security wait times and historical data about which times of day are typically busiest at specific airports. The DHS Check Wait Times page (dhs.gov/check-wait-times) offers similar information and is updated frequently throughout each day. Before booking your travel, before the morning of departure, check these tools. Many people do not realize that security lines fluctuate significantly by time of day. If you have flexibility, flying out on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning is typically less crowded than Friday afternoon.
Early morning flights (5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. departures) usually have shorter lines than midday or evening departures. For someone with dementia, the reduced sensory load of an early morning flight in a quieter airport may mean the difference between a manageable travel experience and one that leaves them exhausted and distressed. Use these tools actively—check them the evening before travel and again the morning of departure, to make decisions about timing and expect ation-setting with the person who will be traveling.
When Will This End and What to Expect in the Coming Weeks
The airport security crisis will persist until the government shutdown ends. Airports are implementing contingency measures—some are bringing in additional staff, extending checkpoints, and requesting military personnel to assist with non-security tasks—but these solutions are limited and temporary. TSA officers cannot be paid during the shutdown, so sick calls and quits will likely continue. The agency is already facing permanent attrition as officers take other jobs that offer steady paychecks.
Looking forward, even when the shutdown ends, airports will face a lag period as TSA rehires and retrains replacement staff. Spring break travel season (through early April 2026) coincides with the peak of this crisis. If your travel is flexible, postponing air travel until April or May would significantly improve your experience, especially if you are accompanying someone with cognitive challenges or age-related vulnerability to travel stress. If you must travel now, the strategies above—arriving three hours early, using apps to track wait times, considering alternative airports, timing your flight for early morning or off-peak days—remain your best tools.
Conclusion
Airport security lines have stretched beyond what most travelers anticipated, with some checkpoints reporting wait times exceeding two hours. A government shutdown has left TSA officers working without pay, resulting in widespread staff absences and reduced checkpoint capacity. For seniors, people with dementia, and their caregivers, the combination of long waits, unpredictability, and high-stress environments creates genuine challenges that go beyond inconvenience.
Understanding the scope of the crisis, using real-time data to plan around the worst bottlenecks, and considering alternative routes or airports are practical steps to ensure safe, manageable travel during this period. If you must travel now, prepare conservatively: build in extra time, use the MyTSA App and DHS Wait Times tool to make informed decisions about routing and timing, and ensure you have water, medications, and identification readily available. If you can postpone travel until late April or May, you will almost certainly experience faster security lines. Regardless of timing, recognize that for people with cognitive challenges, a slower, less stressful journey is often worth the additional time or slight change in routing.
