How to check TSA wait times amid partial shutdown impacts

Will you be flying soon? Here's how to check TSA wait times as the shutdown hits airports A partial government shutdown is causing some travelers to wait hours in lines for Transportation Security Administration checkpoints, while airports experience staffing shortages. Over the weekend, airports across the country, including Houston's William P. Hobby Airport and New Orleans' Louis Armstrong International Airport, confirmed long wait times, according to previous USA TODAY reporting, with lines at Hobby Airport averaging more than three hours. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, expired on February 13. About 50,000 airport security inspectors are now working without pay after lawmakers in Congress failed to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms. DHS also oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other border agencies. As the partial shutdown continues, delays may not be limited to the Houston or New Orleans hubs. In a statement, the DHS warned: "Travelers are facing TSA lines up to nearly three hours long at some major airports, resulting in missed flights and massive delays during peak travel times." With the airport's current problems, here's how to check TSA wait times. Is the information on the MyTSA mobile app and TSA website up to date? Travelers should note that some information on the TSA website is not updated due to the current government shutdown, the agency said in a statement on Feb. 17. Signs on the TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection websites warn that “due to lack of federal funding, this website will not be actively managed.” This is different from the last government shutdown that ran between October and November 2025, when TSA security wait times continued to update as usual. This time, the TSA confirmed to USA TODAY via email that both the MyTSA mobile app and the agency's wait time tracker are down due to the partial US government shutdown that is now in its fourth week. What travelers can do now Travelers looking for current security wait times can check the Airport Insight website, which still provides airport-by-airport estimates. The 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 who wants to check general delays can do so on FlightAware, which tracks arrival and departure times at US airports. This story has been updated with new information. Michelle Del Rey is a current affairs reporter at USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] Contributing: USA TODAY's Melina Khan and Zach Wichter