As of March 2026, airports across the U.S. are scrambling to combat the effects of the partial government shutdown.
The shutdown has led to TSA staffing shortages and, consequently, unpredictably long wait times in customs and security lines. Furthermore, without a funding solution for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA, airports continue to be overwhelmed during busy travel weeks.
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport reported wait times as long as six hours, causing many travelers to miss their flights. However, wait times are also unpredictable and can range from hours to just mere minutes. To combat this, airport officials are recommending that travelers arrive at the airport three hours in advance. Other major international airports are also experiencing longer wait times than usual. Sophomore Zoe Cacho recently flew out of Los Angeles to Australia. “We had to wait three hours before we were able to get to our gate,” Cacho shared.
Passengers who have paid for TSA PreCheck usually rely on shorter security lines. However, in February, PreCheck lines in Chicago airports were intermittently suspended due to the funding lapse. The brief suspension shows PreCheck travelers they cannot depend on shorter wait times than general security.
This disruption comes during spring break, when millions of Americans travel by air throughout March. This year, airlines expected a four percent increase in air travel compared with last year.
Pleasant Valley’s spring break fell between March 14 and March 22. Many PV students traveled to popular spring break destinations such as Florida, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
As the closest major airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport serves as the primary airport for many Pleasant Valley students. Senior Lydia McDonald traveled to the Dominican Republic for spring break and was pleasantly surprised by the wait times at O’Hare. “When I got to the airport, we were expecting it to be extremely busy because of what we had seen on the news, but when we got there, it was actually less busy than normal,” McDonald shared.
However, not everybody who traveled through O’Hare had the same experience. Senior Kate Fitzpatrick also traveled to the Dominican Republic for spring break but encountered longer wait times. “We had to wait about 35 minutes in the security line before we got to our gate,” Fitzpatrick said. “It didn’t affect our travel day, but [the wait] was definitely longer than usual.”
As the partial shutdown continues to affect funding for the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. airports may remain in disarray. While officials cannot predict specific wait times, travelers are advised to arrive earlier than usual.
