How to get TSA PreCheck and avoid long airport security lines – NBC Chicago

Spring break travel across much of the country has increased congestion at airports already experiencing long security lines as a result of the partial government shutdown.

Adding to the problem, thousands of flights were canceled or delayed Monday as powerful storms swept across the eastern half of the U.S. The travel impacts come as the shutdown that began Feb. 14 enters its second month, straining staffing at some security checkpoints.

One scene unfolded at the airport in Austin, Texas, where authorities shared a video on X taken at 5:30 a.m. local time showing the security line spilling out onto the sidewalk outside.

“We continue to recommend arriving 2 1/2 hours before your domestic flight,” Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said.

As a result of this situation and similar scenes, travelers may be looking to avoid long waits.

For some, TSA PreCheck is the solution.

The federal program gives “trusted travelers a speedier security experience in dedicated lanes,” according to the Transportation Security Administration’s website. About 99% of passengers wait less than 10 minutes, the agency said, and children 17 years old and under can join an enrolled adult in line for free.

TSA PreCheck does cost – it will run you $85 for five years.

While you can begin the enrollment process online, it must be completed in person.

Thinking about enrolling? Details can be found here.

Still have questions about the partial government shutdown that has fueled long wait times at airports? Additional information is below.

Shutdown impact

The current partial shutdown affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration.

Democrats in Congress have said Homeland Security won’t get funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year.

It is the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers temporarily without pay. Once the government reopens, employees will have to wait for back pay.

Some airports have reported longer security lines because of staffing shortages as more TSA workers take on second jobs, can’t afford gas to get to work or leave the profession altogether. Homeland Security has said more than 300 TSA agents have quit since the start of the shutdown.

TSA union leaders held a news conference Monday outside Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, warning that air travelers could face increasingly long wait times as the shutdown continues. Even so, union leaders said, many officers are still reporting to work despite mounting financial strain.

Many TSA workers “are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts,” said Aaron Barker, a local leader with the American Federation of Government Employees. Supporters behind him held signs reading, “We want a paycheck, not a rain check.”