In 2026, Donald Trump experienced the second government shutdown of his second term. Unlike the shutdown that began in 2025, this one is only a partial shutdown, which means it only impacts select government agencies. Unfortunately for travelers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is one of them. And a lack of funding has prompted staffing shortages and long lines at airports, as TSA agents struggle to keep up.
This has lead to frustrating experiences for travelers, who say that they’ve been forced to spend hours in line during this partial shutdown, sometimes causing them to miss their flights. Want to avoid getting stuck in a similar situation? Here are a few tips to help you get through the TSA line that much faster.
Use TSA PreCheck and PreCheck Touchless ID
According to the TSA, travelers can move through security lines a little quicker when they sign up for PreCheck Touchless ID, which allows passengers to use a dedicated line where they can have their photo taken and scanned to verify their identity, allowing them to pass through without requiring any physical documents. While this service was suspended in the early days of the shutdown, it appears to be back up and running at the moment.
Of course, you have to already be a TSA PreCheck traveler with a valid passport traveling via an airline and airport that participates in this service in order to use it. The TSA says that means you can only use this when flying airlines like:
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Southwest Airlines
- United Airlines
If you’re traveling somewhere that the PreCheck Touchless ID isn’t rolled out yet, you may still be able to move through lines a little faster by using regular old PreCheck. According ot the TSA, these designated lines move faster than non-PreCheck lines, with pre-shutdown waits being less than 10 minutes for 99 percent of passengers.
Related: How the Travel Shutdown Could Affect the World Cup
Check Wait Times Before Heading to the Airport
Another trick? Know what you’re facing before you go. According to Yahoo! Travel, travelers should check to see how long the TSA lines are before they head out the door so that they can plan to arrive early enough to make it through the line.
Places like Newark, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta, and Dallas-Fort Worth all offer live access to wait times using the MyTSA mobile app. Consider checking the wait times ahead of your flight, and heading to the airport early when you see that there’s a lull in the lines. Sure, you may find yourself with extra time on your hands once you’re through the line, but that time can be spent sitting in the airport lounge or kicked back and reading a book instead of standing shoulder to shoulder with frustrated travelers for hours on end.
International Travelers Can Use Global Entry
Global Entry can help you breeze through some U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checkpoints thanks to the Trusted Traveler Program. Having access to Global Entry, which was initially suspended during the partial shutdown but has also since reopened, can give you some of the same TSA PreCheck access as other government programs in addition to customs benefits.
That being said, if you don’t already have a Global Entry membership, you may not be able to get one fast enough to make it work for this shutdown. That’s because the application process can be lengthy, and CPB says it can take up to 12 months for some applicants to be approved.
Related: TSA Lines Are Hours Long as Spring Breaks Begin: Here’s What to Do
Use Your Airline Loyalty Program Lanes
Business class, first class, and certain elite status members may have access to quicker lines thanks to airline loyalty lanes, according to Yahoo! Travel. The publication says that airlines like Delta offer Sky Priority lanes at certain airports that will allow passengers to jump into “priority” security lanes, sometimes bypassing long lines.
Pay for Premium Services
While the government lines may be long, providers like CLEAR offer similar services that allow you to skip the regular lines by using biometrics at the gate. This system is supposed to make the verification process move up to five times faster by using different types of facial recognition features to identify travelers.
That being said, CLEAR services cost $209 per year, according to Yahoo! News, and it’s only available at airports that are setup for the biometric eGates.
