Airport Security Wait Times Slashed as TSA Workers Receive Paychecks

Some airports that reported four-hour lines are now experiencing wait times of 10 minutes or less.

TSA agents screen passengers as travelers wait for passenger screening at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on March 23, 2026. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

Many U.S. airports reported significantly reduced security checkpoint wait times on March 30, with much of the worst pressure relieved after Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) officers received their first paychecks in weeks.

After seeing security lines that stretched for four hours during peak travel throughout the ongoing government shutdown, wait times at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport were down to 10 minutes or less on Monday.