Travelers enduring hours-long delays at airports amid partial government shutdown

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FILE-People wait in long TSA lines as the partial government shutdown continues for several weeks at airports like Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, IL, on March 09, 2026 (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Travelers are experiencing wait times of more than three hours at some airports related to Transportation Security Administration officer shortages. 

TSA agents have been working without pay since a partial shutdown started on Feb. 14, when Congress couldnt's reach an agreement to extend funding for several federal agencies. The partial government shutdown is also impacting the Department of Homeland Security. 

On Feb. 17, the TSA website and app paused operations, stating on their website that it "will not be updated until after funding is enacted." A TSA spokesperson told Fox News on Monday that employees managing the website and app have been furloughed.

"Some individual airports track [security line] wait times, [so] we would point them [in] that direction," the spokesperson told FOX News. 

Some airports tell travelers to arrive early

The other side:

Some airports have requested that passengers arrive hours in advance of their flights to avoid any delays.  Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana urged travelers to arrive at the airport three hours early on Sunday via social media posts.

William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas said in an X post on Sunday that travelers "should arrive 4–5 hours before their flight to allow extra time for TSA screening."

Separately, FOX News reported that JetBlue issued a travel advisory last week, writing that the "shutdown could result in longer wait times for TSA security screenings, including for TSA PreCheck customers."

"We recommend arriving at least 3 hours before your scheduled departure time for domestic flights, and at least 4 hours for international flights, to avoid issues making your flight," Jet Blue stated. 

TSA urges travelers to arrive early for flights

What you can do:

Transportation Security Administration officials are encouraging to arrive to the airport as early as they can to avoid missing their flights.

TSA Cares Assistance is still operating for travelers requiring special assistance. The agency explains on its website that passengers must fill out the form prior to 72 hours before their flight.

If a special assistance traveler's flight occurs within 72 hours, that person should call (855) 787-2227 — the TSA Cares helpline — to request help. Meanwhle, travelers needing in-flight assistance or wheelchair assistance from the curb to the aircraft should call their airline.

DHS addresses traveler delays

What they're saying:

Lauren Bis, Department of Homeland Security deputy assistant secretary for public affairs, previously said in a statement posted on March 8 that the airport delays are the "severe fallout" of the "Democrat shutdown of DHS."

"Today, travelers are facing TSA lines of up to nearly 3 hours long at some major airports, causing missed flights and massive delays during peak travel," Bis said in a statement obtained by FOX News.