Are TSA PreCheck and CLEAR affected by long security lines?

(NewsNation) — Travelers are facing hours-long security lines at some of the nation’s busiest airports as a government funding standoff leaves the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) short-staffed. Wait times at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH) surpassed four hours Monday, while officials at Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta are urging passengers to prepare for similarly long waits due to staffing constraints. For travelers trying to avoid the worst of the delays, expedited screening programs like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR typically offer a faster path through security — though they haven’t been immune to disruptions. At IAH, TSA PreCheck lanes closed at 10:30 a.m. Monday, and CLEAR was not available. TSA PreCheck was also unavailable Sunday at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport due to staffing shortages, airport officials said. In Atlanta, TSA PreCheck wait times climbed to as high as four to five hours Sunday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reported that the CLEAR line in the domestic terminal was also closed. A CLEAR spokesperson told NewsNation on Monday that service may be affected at “some of our locations” amid rapidly changing airport conditions. The TSA notes on its website that PreCheck hours are subject to change based on operational needs, which vary by airport. TSA staffing shortages hit major airports More than 3,450 TSA officers called out of work Sunday, March 22, according to the Department of Homeland Security, accounting for 11.76 percent of the scheduled workforce. At IAH, Hartsfield-Jackson and Louis Armstrong New Orleans airports, the callout rate was around 40 percent, with similarly high rates reported at JFK in New York and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) in Maryland. Roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers have been working without pay since Feb. 14 as Congress remains at an impasse over DHS funding. The partial shutdown has caused more than 400 TSA officers to quit and thousands to call out from work because they can’t afford basic expenses like gas and child care, Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement Monday. Can TSA PreCheck and CLEAR help you avoid the long security lines? It depends. Airport security wait times vary widely by location, time of day and, more recently, TSA staffing levels, but available data shows TSA PreCheck was still faster than standard lines at several major airports on Monday. At Orlando International Airport, general security lines reached up to 45 minutes early Monday afternoon, while TSA PreCheck wait times topped out around 10 minutes. At Philadelphia International Airport, standard security lines reached up to 28 minutes, while TSA PreCheck wait times were under five. Travelers with PreCheck or CLEAR also saw shorter waits at Miami International Airport throughout the day. Some of the airports facing the worst staffing challenges, including BWI and JFK, have suspended their security wait time data as of Monday afternoon, making it hard to gauge how quickly lines are moving. Marc Caputo, a White House reporter for Axios, said he got through the TSA PreCheck line at Hartsfield-Jackson in about an hour around midday Monday. Another traveler told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he made it through security in about 20 minutes using CLEAR at the international terminal Sunday. Other major airports reported minimal slowdowns Monday, with wait times below 10 minutes for both PreCheck and standard security — including Denver International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. TSA PreCheck and CLEAR can still save time, even amid disruptions, but they are no guarantee against extended waits when staffing shortages worsen. TSA PreCheck is available at roughly 200 U. S. airports, and CLEAR has more than 150 lanes across 60 airports. How to check airport security wait times Travelers should check local airport conditions before heading out, as wait times can change quickly. Many airports publish real-time security wait times on their websites or apps, though some hubs have temporarily suspended that data. AirportLocationSecurity Wait Time WebsiteHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)AtlantaCheck Wait TimesGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)HoustonCheck Wait TimesMiami International Airport (MIA)MiamiCheck Wait TimesOrlando International Airport (MCO)Orlando, Fla. Check Wait TimesDenver International Airport (DEN)DenverCheck Wait TimesLos Angeles International Airport (LAX)Los AngelesCheck Wait TimesPhiladelphia International Airport (PHL)PhiladelphiaCheck Wait TimesPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)PhoenixCheck Wait TimesMinneapolis-St. Paul Airport (MSP)MinneapolisCheck Wait TimesCharlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)Charlotte, N. C. Check Wait TimesDallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)DallasCheck Wait TimesSeattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)SeattleCheck Wait TimesPortland International Airport (PDX)Portland, OreCheck Wait TimesDetroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)DetroitCheck Wait Times Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.