Getting ready to fly? Here are 3 ways to track TSA wait times.
Security lines are stretching up to 6 hours at some airports amid TSA staffing shortages. Here's how to check wait times before you leave.
Updated on: March 24, 2026 / 1:05 PM EDT / CBS News
Wondering how early to get to the airport as some TSA officers call out sick during a partial government shutdown? There are a few ways for passengers to check security checkpoint wait times before their flights.
Security lines are growing longer at some airports, with almost 12% of the TSA's roughly 50,000 officers calling out sick on Sunday, as they work without pay during the six week-long partial shutdown.
Although officials have warned that some smaller airports could be forced to close due to staffing shortages, the nation's airports remain open. But wait times at security checkpoints are surging. At Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, some passengers waited as long as 6 hours to get through security.
Wait times aren't expected to improve until government funding is restored and TSA officers receive paychecks. In the meantime, travelers should check delays before leaving for the airport.
"It's always good to check and see if you need extra time, the same way it's good to check traffic when you're traveling across town," Scott Keyes, founder of flight deals site Going.com, told CBS News.