Tech glitch sparks ticketing delays at San Diego Airport

San Diego International Airport experienced significant disruption on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, after a technical issue affecting ticketing systems led to long lines, crowded terminals and delays for departing passengers, even as flights continued to arrive and depart.

IT outage disrupts ticketing across both terminals

Publicly available reports from multiple outlets indicate that the disruption began in the early morning at San Diego International Airport, when an information technology failure affected the systems used for airline ticketing and check in. Coverage from national and local news organizations describes an outage impacting computer networks that support passenger processing, rather than systems used to manage aircraft movements.

The issue reportedly affected both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, where passengers encountered unusually long queues at airline counters and self-service kiosks that were intermittently unavailable. Images and broadcast footage shared in published coverage show snaking lines stretching through check in halls as airport staff worked to move travelers through the system.

According to publicly available information, the airport advised travelers via social media alerts around mid-morning that a technical problem was slowing ticketing. The updates urged passengers to arrive early, allow extra time in the terminals and verify their flight details directly with their airline before heading to the airport.

Several news outlets note that, despite the disruption inside the terminals, the airfield continued to operate, with flights still arriving and departing. The primary impact for travelers was concentrated in the time needed to complete check in and reach the security screening checkpoints before boarding.

What travelers at SAN experienced

Accounts compiled in media coverage describe a challenging morning for passengers departing from San Diego. Travelers arriving for early flights reported lines forming well before sunrise and growing steadily through the morning peak as the outage continued. Some customers were directed to join manual check in queues when automated kiosks could not be used as normal.

Published reports indicate that airlines shifted to backup procedures, including handwritten bag tags and manual document checks, to keep passengers moving. These workarounds typically take more time per customer than standard digital systems, contributing to the visible congestion in the check in areas.

Coverage from local broadcasters and national outlets notes that while some departures left on time, others experienced knock-on delays as boarding had to be held for passengers still stuck in ticketing lines or at security. The scale of the impact varied by airline and departure time, with the longest waits concentrated during the morning rush period.

Within the terminals, publicly shared images show passengers clustered near airline counters, with some seated on the floor or along walls as they waited for processing to resume at a normal pace. Restrooms, food outlets and seating areas in the pre-security zones also saw heavier than usual crowds as travelers sought space away from the main lines.

Extent and timing of the disruption

Based on available reporting, the technical issue emerged in the early part of the day on September 22 and was most disruptive during the morning departure wave, when San Diego sees a high volume of flights to major hubs and business destinations. Several outlets describe the problem as an information technology system failure, though specific technical details about the root cause have not been publicly detailed.

By later in the day, news reports indicate that operations inside the terminals had begun to stabilize, with lines shortening as systems were gradually restored and the morning peak subsided. However, some residual delays persisted for flights scheduled around the height of the outage, as aircraft, crews and passengers remained out of position.

Real-time federal aviation data available on Wednesday, September 23, shows San Diego International Airport operating without a ground stop, suggesting that the issue was contained to the previous day and did not evolve into an extended, multi-day disruption. Publicly accessible coverage published on September 23 still refers to the incident as an IT outage but does not provide confirmation of a detailed technical postmortem.

At this stage, there is no widely reported indication that the event was linked to broader national air traffic problems or to a specific third-party vendor failure. Without an official technical explanation, the outage is generally characterized in coverage as a localized, airport-level information technology incident.

Guidance for travelers using San Diego International

For upcoming travel through San Diego International Airport, publicly available guidance from airlines and the airport suggests a cautious approach in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Travelers are encouraged in published updates to arrive earlier than usual for morning departures, especially if checking bags or traveling with families or larger groups.

Airlines and the airport have emphasized in public communications that passengers should check flight status through airline apps or customer service channels before leaving for the airport. This remains a key step any time a recent disruption has occurred, as schedules can continue to shift while carriers work through backlogs and reposition aircraft and crews.

Travelers with tight connections on itineraries that begin in San Diego may wish to consider additional buffer time, particularly on the day following a major IT outage. While current data does not show a widespread, ongoing delay program at San Diego, residual effects can appear in the form of slightly adjusted departure times or gate changes.

Those with flexible plans may also benefit from completing online check in as early as their airline allows and using mobile boarding passes to reduce reliance on physical ticketing infrastructure. If similar technical problems occur, this can help limit time spent in lines, although checked baggage will still require in-person processing at airline counters.

Broader context for technology disruptions at airports

The incident at San Diego International Airport fits into a wider pattern of technology-related disruptions affecting air travel in recent years, as airports and airlines rely on interconnected systems for everything from ticketing and baggage handling to security and aircraft dispatch. Industry reports have highlighted how failures in a single platform can ripple quickly across terminals and, in some cases, entire regions.

In this case, publicly reported information suggests that the outage was restricted to passenger processing systems at one airport, limiting the geographical scope of the disruption. However, the long lines and delays observed on September 22 underline how dependent day-to-day travel has become on stable digital infrastructure, even when runway and air traffic systems continue to function normally.

San Diego International handled more than 25 million passengers in recent years, according to statistics cited in public transportation documents, and operates as one of the busiest single-runway airports in the world. Any significant slowdown in check in or ticketing at such a facility can quickly translate into crowded terminals and schedule pressure for both airlines and travelers.

As of September 23, publicly accessible reports have not detailed what specific safeguards or changes may follow the outage at San Diego. Travelers planning future trips through the airport are likely to watch for additional updates from airlines and from official airport communication channels outlining any steps taken to prevent a repeat of the disruption.