HOW TO GET THROUGH THE AIRPORT RIGHT NOW - IMPORTANT IMFORMATION
A Guide to TSA Pre-Check, CLEAR+, and Surviving the Shutdown
Times sure are strange lately, politics aside navigating through the airport is more just a hassle it’s a nightmare. Airport security has never been anyone’s favorite part of travel. But right now, with the partial government shutdown stretching into its second month, what used to be a 15-minute inconvenience has become a full-blown test of endurance at airports across the country. Three-hour lines. Harried workers. Terminals that feel more like waiting rooms than gateways to adventure. There is some good news, you are not powerless. A handful of programs and a bit of planning can make the difference between missing your flight and breezing through to your gate with time to grab a coffee. This guide breaks down everything you need to know before you leave the house.
CURRENT STATUS — MARCH 202
The partial government shutdown has been in effect since February 14, 2026, and it affects only the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that funds and oversees the TSA. Over 300 TSA agents have resigned since the shutdown began, and hundreds more have called out due to financial hardship. Some airports are seeing wait times stretch to two and three hours. Spring break travel has made conditions at certain hubs significantly worse.
WHY AIRPORT LINES ARE SO LONG
TSA agents are classified as essential workers, which means they are required to show up even during a government shutdown. The problem is that “required to show up” and “actually showing up without a paycheck” are two very different things for people facing rent payments and grocery bills.
The shutdown specifically affects the Department of Homeland Security. Air traffic controllers and other FAA workers are still being paid normally, so your flight itself is not in jeopardy. The bottleneck is almost entirely at the security checkpoint. Some airports have been hit hard, while others are surprisingly smooth. The disruption is uneven, unpredictable, and unlikely to resolve itself before spring break travel peaks.
THE THREE PROGRAMS THAT CAN SAVE YOUR TRIP
TSA PRECHECK — Fully Operational
Cost: $77 to $85 for a 5-year membership | Available at 200+ airports | Works with 90+ airlines
Pre-Check is the foundation. Once enrolled, you pass through a dedicated lane where you keep your shoes on, your belt buckled, and your laptop in your bag. The lines move significantly faster than the standard checkpoint, even with reduced staffing. Your boarding pass will display the Pre-Check logo when it’s active, and that’s your green light.
How to sign up:
- Apply online at tsa.gov, then visit an enrollment center in person for fingerprints and a photo
- You’ll receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) once approved
- Add your KTN to every airline profile and every future booking
- Kids can move through the Pre-Check lane with you at no extra charge
- Credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum often reimburse the enrollment fee as a statement credit, so check your card benefits before paying out of pocket
CLEAR+ — Fully Operational (and Currently Offering 3 Months Free)
Regular cost: $209 per year | Military and government: $125 per year | Kids 17 and under: Free | Available at 60+ airports https://www.clearme.com/tsa-precheck
CLEAR is a private service, which means the government shutdown does not touch it at all. Instead of showing your ID at the security entrance, you scan your boarding pass and step up to a biometric pod that reads your face or eyes to confirm your identity. You then walk straight to the front of the line at the TSA checkpoint.
For very frequent travelers, or anyone flying through a notoriously congested airport right now, combining CLEAR+ with TSA Pre-Check is the most effective one-two punch available.
THE 3-MONTH FREE TRIAL OFFE
Right now, new CLEAR+ members can try the service completely free for three months. If the discount does not apply automatically at checkout, use promo code PRODGSB261 to lock in the offer.
You will need to provide a credit card to sign up, but it will not be charged until the trial period ends. After you enter your personal details and payment information, the checkout screen will show $0 owed.
Who qualifies: The offer is for new CLEAR+ members only, who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, 18 or older, with a valid government-issued photo ID.
What happens after 3 months: Once your trial ends, you will be automatically enrolled in the full annual membership at $209 per year for adults, plus $125 for each adult family member added to your account. Kids 17 and under are always free.
THE CANCELLATION POLICY
This is the part to pay close attention to, because the auto-renewal is easy to miss.
If you are in your trial period, you will not be charged as long as you cancel before the last day of your free 3 months. The moment that deadline passes, your card gets billed for the full year automatically.
If you cancel within the first 14 days of being charged for a paid membership, you will receive a full refund for that term. However, you will no longer be able to use the CLEAR airport lanes from the date of cancellation onward.
If you cancel more than 14 days after being charged, your account will be scheduled not to renew at the end of that paid term. You keep access through the end of the year you paid for.
How to cancel: Log into your account at my.clearme.com and select “Change Renewal Settings” or “Cancel.” You can also reach their support team by email at memberservices@clearme.com.
The single most important thing you can do the day you sign up is set a calendar reminder for the end of your three-month trial. That one small step is what separates people who love this deal from people who feel burned by it.
GLOBAL ENTRY — Partially Restored, Proceed Carefully
Cost: $120 for a 5-year membership | Includes TSA Pre-Check | Available at 61 U.S. airports
Global Entry is designed for international travelers returning to the United States. It lets you skip the customs processing line and use automated kiosks instead. After being suspended entirely in late February, it officially reopened on March 11th, but some kiosks remain offline at select airports.
If you are flying internationally, plan for possible delays on your return and build extra time into the back end of your trip. New enrollment interviews were also paused during the shutdown, so new applicants may face a backlog before their membership becomes active.
SIX THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
1. Arrive much earlier than you normally would.
Atlanta and New Orleans are currently advising travelers to arrive at least three hours before departure. Even if your home airport seems calm, this is not the moment to cut it close.
2. Check your airport’s social media the morning of your flight.
Many major airports are posting real-time wait time updates on X (formerly Twitter). Search your airport by name and look at their feed before you leave the house. This 60-second habit can save you an enormous amount of stress.
3. Skip the TSA app for now.
Because of the shutdown, the app is not being updated regularly with accurate wait times. Stick to your airport’s direct social media channels or website instead.
4. Make sure Pre-Check is printed on your boarding pass.
This is the single most overlooked step. If it is not showing up, locate your Known Traveler Number and add it to your airline profile before you leave for the airport. Trying to sort this out at the security line is too late.
5. Monitor your flight status separately from security.
Security backups can push into departure delays even when your airline is operating normally. Keep an eye on your flight number throughout the morning so you are never caught off guard.
6. Check your credit card benefits before paying out of pocket.
Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum offer reimbursement credits for TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry enrollment. If you hold one of these cards, enrollment may cost you nothing.
A NOTE ON PATIENCE
Not every airport is in chaos right now. Some are running without notable delays, while others have become genuinely difficult. The disruption is uneven and shifts from day to day, which is exactly why checking conditions specific to your departure city the morning of your flight is the single most useful habit you can build during this period.
The TSA agents working those lines are doing so without pay. They are showing up because they are required to, and many are facing real financial strain in the process. A little patience and a kind word go a long way in a stressful environment. The shutdown is a political situation, not a personal one, and the people at the checkpoint are caught in the middle of it just like you are.
Prepare early, know your programs, and leave yourself more time than you think you need. The adventure waiting on the other side of security is worth the extra effort to get there without a crisis.