Long security lines, frustrated passengers, and mounting delays that once seemed confined to New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia have now firmly taken hold in Atlanta, the world’s busiest passenger hub. As of February 14, 2026, the partial shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is rippling through airport operations nationwide, pushing Transportation Security Administration staffing to the breaking point and turning routine winter travel into a test of patience for millions of flyers.
A New Phase of a Deepening DHS Crisis
The latest wave of disruption began when funding for the Department of Homeland Security expired at the end of Friday, plunging the agency into a partial shutdown. While core security and border operations remain active, tens of thousands of employees, including most Transportation Security Administration staff, are now working without pay. At airports, that reality is translating directly into thinner staffing at checkpoints and longer, slower queues.
Unlike a full federal government shutdown, which can affect multiple departments at once, this one is narrowly focused on Homeland Security. That means the TSA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secret Service, and other DHS components are shouldering the immediate burden. While air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration are still being paid under separate funding, the bottleneck for passengers is squarely at the security checkpoint, where unpaid TSA officers are increasingly calling in sick or taking leave to manage their own financial emergencies.
The situation has escalated quickly. In the run-up to the deadline, TSA unions and aviation analysts warned that this shutdown could bite faster than previous ones, partly because workers are still recovering from the record 2025 funding lapse and years of high-stress operations. That prediction is now playing out in real time at major hubs from coast to coast, as a familiar pattern of cascading delays returns to U.S. air travel, just as spring break planning begins in earnest.
Atlanta’s Breaking Point at the World’s Busiest Hub
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which routinely handles more than 100 million passengers a year, has joined the roster of airports where the DHS shutdown is no longer an abstraction but a lived experience. On Saturday morning, travelers arriving the customary two hours before departure found security lines snaking deep into the terminal, with some reporting waits stretching past 90 minutes and multiple missed flights during peak morning banks.
Airport officials in Atlanta stress that local operations teams are doing everything possible to mitigate the worst effects, redeploying staff, opening additional lanes where they can, and working closely with airlines to rebook stranded passengers. Yet there is only so much that can be done when the federal workforce that actually screens passengers and carry-on bags is stretched this thin. As absenteeism creeps up and overtime strains those still on duty, throughput at security checkpoints inevitably slows.
The chaos recalls earlier episodes during the prolonged 2025 shutdown, when Atlanta experienced ripple delays driven by unpaid air traffic controllers and staffing shortages at regional centers feeding traffic into the Southeast. This time, the choke point is closer to the door. With TSA operations under direct pressure, Atlanta’s position as a primary connection point for domestic and international itineraries makes it especially vulnerable. Any slowdown here reverberates throughout airline networks, creating knock-on effects in smaller cities that depend on connections through the Georgia hub.
New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia: From Warnings to Gridlock
Atlanta’s ordeal comes on the heels of weeks of mounting trouble at other major U.S. gateways. In the New York region, where LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, and Newark Liberty already grapple with congestion even in normal times, a combination of unpaid TSA officers and winter weather has produced some of the most visible scenes of airport chaos in the country. In recent days, flyers have reported checkpoint lines stretching across terminals and departure boards filled with delays of an hour or more, even where flights themselves are technically ready to operate.
On the West Coast, Los Angeles International Airport is facing its own version of the crisis. LAX, which processes tens of millions of international passengers each year, depends heavily on DHS staff not only at standard TSA checkpoints but also at customs and immigration posts. With DHS operations disrupted, arrivals halls have seen intermittent surges in wait times for inbound travelers, particularly at peak transpacific and transatlantic banks. Airline staff at LAX report that some passengers are missing connections despite having what would normally be considered ample transfer windows.
Philadelphia, a critical East Coast hub for both domestic and transatlantic services, has also shifted from concern to full-blown disruption. Since the shutdown began, the airport has reported a growing tally of delayed departures linked not to aircraft availability or weather, but to screening slowdowns. Airlines serving Philadelphia have begun formally advising passengers to arrive significantly earlier than usual, anticipating that queues will get worse before they get better if Washington remains gridlocked over DHS funding.
How the Shutdown Is Disrupting Air Travel Operations
The immediate impact of the shutdown is most visible at the security checkpoint, but behind the scenes, the operational picture is more complex. Approximately 95 percent of TSA officers are classified as essential, meaning they are legally obligated to report for duty even when they are not being paid. That designation is intended to protect aviation security, but it also places enormous strain on workers who must cover transportation, childcare, rent, and other expenses without a paycheck.
During past shutdowns, this stress has led to a predictable pattern: in the first days, most employees continue to come in, hoping the funding dispute will be resolved quickly. As missed paychecks accumulate, however, more workers begin calling in sick, taking secondary jobs, or leaving altogether for more stable employment. Checkpoints that used to be staffed for ten lanes may only be able to open seven, then five. Each percentage point of absenteeism translates directly into longer queues and reduced throughput, especially during peak travel hours.
At the same time, some DHS support functions that underpin smooth airport operations have been curtailed or suspended. Hiring and training pipelines for new officers are on hold, reducing the system’s ability to backfill losses. Administrative staff who manage schedules, process overtime, and coordinate with airports and airlines are also affected. The cumulative effect is a system that can respond to minor disruptions but is far less resilient when multiple pressure points hit at once, such as a winter storm coinciding with a busy holiday weekend.
Ripple Effects Across Routes, Airlines, and Travelers
For travelers, the most visible outcome of the DHS shutdown is the growing gap between scheduled and actual departure times. Even when aircraft and crew are available, flights cannot depart if significant numbers of passengers are still stuck in screening lines. Airlines, eager to keep their operations flowing, are making frequent gate change announcements, rolling delays, and in some cases offloading late-arriving passengers to depart within allowable crew duty limits.
Hub carriers with major operations in affected cities are adjusting in real time. In Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, some airlines have begun waiving change fees for passengers who choose to rebook to less congested times or different days. Others are proactively re-accommodating flyers with tight connections that are unlikely to be met given current wait times. Yet these measures can only soften the blow. Significantly reduced predictability in airport processing makes it difficult for airlines and passengers alike to plan, increasing the likelihood of missed events, broken vacation plans, and lost business opportunities.
The ripple effects are national. Smaller regional airports may appear to be running normally at check-in and security, only for passengers to arrive in their connecting hub and discover that onward flights have been delayed or canceled due to staffing headaches there. That dynamic is especially pronounced in Atlanta’s case, given its role as a primary connecting point between the eastern and western United States, the Caribbean, and Europe. A single delayed bank of departures in Atlanta can trigger a cascade of missed connections that stretches into the evening and across multiple time zones.
Passenger Stories from the Front Lines of Airport Chaos
Behind every delay statistic is a human story. Over the weekend, social media channels filled with accounts from travelers stuck in gridlock at security checkpoints. In Atlanta, parents described attempting to shepherd small children through crowded concourses as departure times ticked closer, only to watch their flights push back without them. Some business travelers reported abandoning trips altogether after it became clear they would not make critical meetings or events on time.
In New York’s airports, images of passengers sitting on terminal floors, phones plugged into crowded charging stations, and queues zigzagging past shuttered food outlets captured the sense of fatigue that now hangs over many terminals. At Los Angeles, international visitors arriving for long-planned vacations described their frustration at spending their first hours in the United States waiting in a line rather than exploring the city outside. In Philadelphia, repeated delay announcements prompted audible groans and sporadic applause whenever a flight was finally called for boarding.
For many frontline employees, the emotional toll is heavy as well. TSA officers, who are often the first point of contact for frustrated travelers, are bearing the brunt of public anger while simultaneously worrying about their own finances. Airline agents and flight attendants are managing the downstream frustration at gates and on board, explaining again and again that the root causes lie in Washington rather than at the local airport counter. The result is a tense atmosphere that tests both patience and professionalism on all sides.
Practical Advice for Travelers Navigating the Shutdown
For those who must travel in the coming days, preparation is more important than ever. The single most effective step is to arrive at the airport significantly earlier than you normally would. For domestic flights, aviation experts are now recommending arriving at least three hours before departure in heavily affected hubs such as Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. International travelers may wish to allow four hours or more, particularly during morning and evening peaks.
Packing strategically can also help speed your passage through security. Travelers should review TSA guidelines before heading to the airport and avoid items that are likely to trigger bag checks, such as large electronics buried under clothing, liquids in oversized containers, or dense food items that appear suspicious on the X-ray. Using dedicated screening programs such as PreCheck and Clear, if available, may reduce wait times, although even these lanes are not immune from shutdown-related staffing constraints.
Staying informed in real time is crucial. Most major airports now publish approximate security wait times on in-terminal displays and through their mobile apps. Airlines also push notifications about delays, gate changes, and rebooking options via text and email. Given how quickly conditions can change, travelers are encouraged to monitor both airport and airline updates from the moment they leave home until they arrive at their destination. Flexibility, including a willingness to accept alternate routings or travel dates when offered, can make the difference between a ruined trip and a salvaged one.
What Comes Next for DHS, Airports, and U.S. Travelers
As political negotiations over Homeland Security funding grind on with no immediate breakthrough in sight, the travel industry is bracing for the possibility that current conditions could persist, or even worsen, in the days ahead. With President’s Day and the early spring break period approaching, passenger volumes are expected to rise, placing even greater demands on an already strained TSA workforce.
Industry groups, from airline trade associations to airport councils and travel agencies, are urging lawmakers to prioritize a rapid resolution, warning that prolonged instability in airport operations risks undermining both traveler confidence and broader economic performance. A protracted shutdown could also accelerate long-term staffing challenges, as skilled TSA officers and other DHS employees decide that the uncertainty is no longer worth enduring and seek more stable work elsewhere.
For now, travelers passing through Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and dozens of other affected airports are caught in the middle of a political standoff playing out far from the check-in counters and security lanes where its consequences are most acutely felt. Until funding is restored and DHS workers receive both their back pay and the assurance of stable operations, U.S. air travel will remain one unexpected announcement, one sick call, or one minor weather event away from renewed chaos. In this environment, patience and preparation are not just virtues; they are essential travel tools.