What will airport security lines be like this week?
The short answer is: Who knows?
The longer, but equally iffy, answer? There’s a hope for a return to normal at most airports.
But at airports that have been in news for hours-long TSA lines (looking at you IAH, ATL and MSY) and high staff shortages, it may take a while to reboot.
Thanks to an executive order, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) who have been working without pay during the partial government shutdown are due to get paychecks starting Monday or Tuesday, Border Czar Tom Homan told CNN on Sunday evening.
But he said “we’ll see,” when CNN asked him when ICE agents sent to about dozen U.S. airports would leave.
Airines offering waivers + special restrictions
As of late Sunday evening, March 29, 2026, these are travel alerts airlines have posted related to long TSA lines and the partial government shutdown.
Some airlines may update their waiver policies on Monday morning. So, if you’re flying in the next few days, be sure to check with your airline new details.
On its advisory page, Alaska Airlines says that due to the partial government shutdown, animals traveling in the baggage compartment will not be accepted on departing flights through April 7, 2026.
In an email message late Sunday evening, Allegiant Air said its Travel with Confidence policy is in effect, “until futher notice.”
The policy states that “passengers whose flights are scheduled to depart between now and the end of the partial government shutdown can change or cancel their itineraries at no additional cost.”
United Airlines is offering to waive change fees and fare differences for travelers flying out of Houston (IAH) through Monday, March 30.
If you do want to change, the carrier says your new flight must be a United flight departing by April 1, 2026 and your ticket must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked or:
- Austin, TX (AUS)
- Dallas, TX (All Airports)
- San Antonio, TX, (SAT)
Avoid the long TSA lines at these airports. For free.
You’ve no doubt read articles and heard experts remind you that paid programs such as TSA Precheck (and TSA Precheck Touchless ID) and the various CLEAR programs can get you through the security line faster.
In most cases they can. If those lanes are staffed and open.
But there’s a free, ‘secret’ way to skip the long TSA lines at 6 airports, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Denver International Airport (DEN), Orlando International Airport (MCO), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and JFK T4.
These airports have programs in place that that allow you to book a time to go through the security checkpoint without waiting in the long lines. Just like a restaurant reservation.
You can read more details about each airport’s program on our earlier post, “A ‘secret,’ free way to skip the long TSA line.
What about all the food & supplies collected for TSA workers?
Over the past few weeks, airports, airlines, community organizations and the public in many communities have been gathering donated food, fuel cards, gift cards and all manny of everyday essentials for TSA employees working without pay during the partial government shutdown, which began February 14, 2026.
Per federal guidelines, now that the order has come down to pay TSA workers, airports can no longer accept those donations.
Some airports have announced that any items that have not been distributed to TSA workers will be donated to local food banks. So nothing will go to waste.
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