Flying for the Weekend? What You Should Know Before Going to the Airport

It’s the last day for Congress to pass legislation funding the Transportation Security Administration before their previously scheduled recess. As of March 26, six of these measures have already failed in the Senate, and it looks like lawmakers may have to work through at least half of what would be their spring break.

Spring break is already chaos at airports across the country, reporting “the highest wait times in TSA history with wait times of more than 4.5 hours,” according to the agency’s acting chief, Ha Nguyen McNeill.

Testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee on March 25, McNeill said more than 480 TSA officers have quit since the partial government shutdown began in February — the third this fiscal year — and “many major airports have days when 40-50% of their employees are crying because they can’t report to work.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to airports across the country this week to ease wait times, although long lines persist in many cases.

How Early Should I Get to the Airport? How to See TSA Wait Times

Travelers are usually advised to arrive two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights, but many are advised to arrive at the airport shortly during the closure.

The TSA does not update wait times on its MyTSA mobile app during the government shutdown, but some airports post wait times on their websites and social media.

Airports such as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport post expected wait times on their websites. However, a large percentage of airports do not offer this service and instead advise travelers to arrive hours before their expected departure time.

Independent websites, including Airport Insight and TSA Wait Times, provide real-time information about airport security wait times.

Can I change a flight I have already booked?

Depending on the airline and boarding class, travelers may be able to rebook future flights to avoid the current situation at airports.

Delta Air Lines is offering travelers flying from Atlanta more flexibility with a waiver through March 30. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the world’s busiest by passenger volume and is Delta’s main hub. It’s also one of the toughest in terms of TSA wait times during the partial government shutdown.

For Delta passengers whose flights originate in Atlanta (not those who have just connected to the hub), the waiver provides some additional rebooking options.

If you fly Delta until March 30, you can rebook your ticket and depart on April 6 in the fare class without paying the fare difference or changing currency. If you rebook but choose to travel after April 6, fare differences may apply.

Which airports are on ICE?

CNN and the Washington Post reported that ICE agents were dispatched to the following 14 airports:

• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH)
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport New York (JFK)
• New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
• Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport near San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
• Southwest Florida International Airport near Fort Myers (RSW)
• William P. Hobby Airport in Houston (HOU)

ICE officers have also been reported to the following airports:

• Washington Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia (DCA)
• Dulles International Airport in Virginia (IAD)

Other airports may be added, especially if there are high calls, the Washington Post reported, citing former Los Angeles TSA Director Keith Jeffries.

DHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Lauren Bis told USA TODAY that the agency will not confirm the locations of ICE agents, citing “security reasons.”

Why Is ICE At Airports And What Are Officers Doing There?

President Donald Trump has sent ICE agents to airports to help ease TSA staffing shortages associated with a government shutdown that has lasted more than a month, during which TSA officials are unpaid.

On March 22, the White House Border Czar Tom Homan, who was assigned the operation, told CNN “State of the Union”: “I don’t see an ICE agent looking at the X-ray machine, because they are not trained for that, but there are certain security aspects that the TSA does, and we can remove them from those tasks and help them go with them.”

Bis of Homeland Security confirmed to USA TODAY that “after receiving TSA’s training curriculum, ICE officers patrol entry and exit points, assist with planning, crowd control, and verify identification using TSA equipment and standard operating procedures.”

Why Pay ICE But Not TSA?

ICE agents continue to receive their regular salary because they are classified as sponsored, essential employees within the Department of Homeland Security. TSA officials are also considered essential and must work during the shutdown, but they are not paid because their funding is tied to the appropriations process set by Congress.

The difference is in the financing system. ICE has access to a much larger, long-term funding stream, while TSA relies directly on annual appropriations that have expired. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave DHS more than $170 billion for immigration enforcement through 2029, including nearly $75 billion for ICE.

Meanwhile, McNeill said TSA workers have now lost nearly $1 billion in wages.

“Many of our employees have missed loan payments, received eviction notices, had their cars repossessed and impounded, lost childcare, defaulted on loans, damaged their credit and lost their retirement savings,” he said. “Some sleep in their cars, sell blood and plasma, and do second jobs to earn a living, all of this is expected to do a high-quality job when they wear a uniform to protect the public.”

Contributors: Zach Wichter, Nathan Diller, Nicole Fallert, Michelle Del Rey, Ignacio Calderón and Lauren Villagran; TODAY

This article first appeared in USA TODAY: Flying this weekend? What you should know before going to the airport.

Reporting by Eve Chen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect