How to Avoid the Worst Airport Delays in the 2026 Shutdown

As the 2026 U.S. government shutdown grinds into a second month, airport bottlenecks from unpaid security officers and strained air traffic control are turning routine trips into hours-long ordeals for millions of travelers.

Shutdown Strains TSA and Air Traffic Control Nationwide

The current partial shutdown, which has halted regular funding for the Department of Homeland Security since February 14, is now colliding with the spring travel rush. Publicly available data from airport dashboards, airline trackers and government statements indicate that security lines of two to three hours have been reported at several large hubs, including airports in Chicago, New York and Houston, on some of the busiest days in March.

Transportation Security Administration officers are classified as essential workers and are still required to report for duty, but they are doing so without pay. Reports from outlets such as CBS News, AARP and regional broadcasters describe a sharp rise in unscheduled absences and resignations as the shutdown has dragged on. That pattern closely resembles the 2018 to 2019 shutdown, when TSA noted that roughly one in ten officers were not showing up for work at the peak of the disruption, leading to closed checkpoints and cascading delays.

At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration is managing operations with a workforce that advocates have long warned is stretched thin. During earlier stages of the wider funding crisis in late 2025, the FAA announced temporary reductions of around 10 percent in flight volume across dozens of high traffic markets to maintain safety margins. Travel industry analyses suggest that even modest cutbacks in scheduled movements can ripple quickly across the system, especially when spring storms or other weather disruptions occur.

Recent coverage of winter and early spring storms shows how these vulnerabilities compound. Major weather systems crossing the Midwest and East Coast this week have triggered thousands of cancellations and delays, and reports from national outlets note that the ongoing shutdown pressure on security and air traffic operations is limiting the system’s ability to recover quickly.

Where Delays Are Hitting Hardest, and Where They Are Not

The impact is uneven from airport to airport. Large coastal and connecting hubs with already heavy passenger loads are reporting some of the worst security bottlenecks. Coverage from network and local television stations shows lines snaking through concourses at airports such as Chicago O’Hare, Newark Liberty and Houston’s Hobby Airport, with some travelers waiting more than two hours to clear checkpoints on peak mornings.

Several airports have publicly urged passengers to arrive far earlier than usual, in some cases recommending that domestic travelers plan to be at the terminal at least two to three hours before departure time and that international passengers give themselves even more of a buffer. Social media feeds for major hubs have repeatedly flagged “reduced TSA staffing” and “extended screening times” tied to the shutdown.

Other facilities, particularly some mid sized and regional airports, are so far reporting smoother operations. Recent local coverage from Richmond and Dallas, for example, notes that those airports have largely avoided the longest lines affecting other parts of the country, even as they handle record or near record spring break passenger volumes. Aviation analysts say that smaller checkpoints, more predictable schedules and fewer banked departures can sometimes help these airports absorb staffing gaps more effectively.

Still, travel and tourism groups caution that no airport is fully insulated. Industry briefing papers prepared in late 2025 warned that prolonged lapses in federal funding could prompt a rolling pattern of delays as staffing shortages shift from one facility to another. That means conditions can change rapidly, and travelers who sailed through security one week might face very different circumstances on their next trip during the shutdown.

Practical Strategies to Shorten Your Time in Line

With staffing and flight capacity in flux, individual choices can make a measurable difference in how much of the disruption travelers personally experience. Travel advisory guides prepared by industry associations and consumer outlets consistently point to timing as a first line of defense. Early morning departures, before 8 a.m., often see shorter security queues and are less likely to be affected by the day’s accumulating delays, while late afternoon and evening banked departures tend to be the most vulnerable.

Routing decisions also matter. Because the shutdown has led to targeted reductions in flights on some of the busiest corridors, itineraries that rely on tight connections through pressure point hubs carry more risk. Advisors suggest that when possible, travelers choose nonstop flights or build in longer connection windows, even if it means slightly higher fares or a less direct path. Shifting to or from a nearby secondary airport may also reduce exposure to the worst lines, particularly in cities with more than one commercial field.

Technology can help travelers stay ahead of real time conditions. Airlines, airports and third party flight tracking services provide push alerts, map based security wait estimates and gate change notifications. A guide for travel advisors released during an earlier phase of the funding crisis recommends that passengers enable every available notification option on airline apps, monitor airport social feeds on the day of travel and check departure boards before leaving home. These tools can offer early warning if a checkpoint is backing up or a departure bank is unraveling.

Experts in passenger rights also stress the value of documentation. If a traveler misses a flight because of unusually long security lines, written confirmation from the airline noting that they were present at the airport in time and were delayed by screening congestion can be useful for rebooking discussions. In some cases, particularly involving missed international connections, that documentation can also help in explaining late arrivals to employers, schools or tour operators.

Programs and Perks: What Still Helps During a Shutdown

The shutdown has complicated some of the trusted time savers that frequent travelers rely on, but they have not disappeared entirely. The Department of Homeland Security temporarily suspended new enrollments and some renewals for trusted traveler programs such as TSA PreCheck and Global Entry earlier in the funding lapse, and Customs and Border Protection reduced the staffing devoted to expedited entry lanes at certain airports. That has created fresh congestion at some international arrival halls.

However, reports indicate that existing PreCheck benefits are still being honored at security checkpoints where dedicated lanes can be staffed. For travelers who are already enrolled, that can translate into shorter lines, simplified screening and fewer delays, particularly during off peak hours. Travel industry coverage suggests that using mobile passport control apps, where available, can also speed up processing for eligible passengers at select airports, even when regular lines are long.

Credit card and airline loyalty perks may offer additional backstops. Consumer travel columns point out that some premium cards provide statement credits for eligible lounge access, food and incidental purchases when flights are delayed by a specified amount of time. While these benefits do not shorten a security line, they can soften the impact of extended waits or missed connections by providing access to quieter spaces with rebooking assistance and refreshments once travelers are past screening.

Travel insurers and card based trip delay protections may also prove more valuable than usual. Policy language varies, but many plans treat government shutdown related disruptions in the same way as other operational delays. Where covered, travelers who are forced into unexpected hotel stays or who miss prepaid segments of their itineraries because of shutdown driven delays may be able to recover some of those costs.

How to Plan Trips While the Shutdown Drags On

Looking ahead, aviation and tourism organizations are warning that the longer the shutdown continues, the more difficult it will be to unwind the operational and staffing damage. Federal employee protections guarantee back pay once funding is restored, but training pipelines for air traffic controllers and onboarding for new security officers cannot be restarted overnight. Analyses prepared for travel industry groups in late 2025 project that the effects of prolonged funding gaps could linger through at least one or two peak travel seasons.

For travelers with flexibility, one approach is to shift discretionary trips away from the heaviest travel windows while the shutdown remains unresolved. That could mean avoiding the busiest spring break weeks in late March and early April, or steering clear of Monday morning and Friday evening travel. For those who must travel during those times, experts recommend building significant extra time into itineraries, including wide buffers for connections and early arrivals at departure airports.

Prospective travelers are also being urged to monitor both political and operational developments closely. Budget talks on Capitol Hill, announcements from transportation agencies and schedule adjustments from major airlines can all signal when conditions are likely to improve or deteriorate. Because both shutdown politics and aviation operations can shift quickly, the most reliable picture of what to expect often emerges only in the days immediately before departure.

For now, the message from travel advocates, airline leaders and airport managers is consistent. The 2026 shutdown is putting sustained pressure on the people and systems that keep U.S. air travel moving. While most flights are still operating and many passengers are reaching their destinations, those who plan, route and document their trips carefully stand the best chance of escaping the worst of the stalled lines and rolling delays.