The partial government shutdown is causing airport delays across the U.S.

Airport security lines have once again become the clearest visual of political gridlock — a long, slow-moving reminder that Washington’s abstract budget fights eventually end up in somebody’s carry-on. With TSA screeners working without pay as a result of the partial government shutdown, waits stretched as long as three and a half hours, turning spring-break travel into a very literal bottleneck.

The result has been missed flights, delayed departures, and a lot of rope-line misery.

Related Content

Airline stock sink as the war in Iran sends oil and jet fuel prices surging

6 travel secrets to get the best airfare possible, according to Reader’s Digest

On Sunday, Houston Hobby’s airport system told travelers to budget four to five hours before departure, and Houston Airports director Jim Szczesniak offered the obvious: “When more passengers meet fewer security lanes, wait times can grow quickly.” The airport was still facing snarls and three-hour delays on Monday.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, New Orleans’ airport warned passengers to arrive at least three hours early and said delays could linger through the week. Spring break travel met a Washington funding mess, and the result looked like a country trying to run a major transportation network on crossed fingers.

TSA said longer-than-average lines were also reported at George Bush Intercontinental, Charlotte Douglas, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta. Airports can usually survive weather, software glitches, and the occasional holiday stampede. What they handle less smoothly is a security workforce being asked to keep the whole machine upright — for free.

On Feb. 13, funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed, leaving about 50,000 TSA screeners working without pay, after Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration-enforcement reforms.

Now, TSA workers are headed toward their first zero paycheck on March 13 (after only receiving a partial paycheck on Feb. 27), meaning the country’s airports are running on patriotic fumes, and the agency is already carrying scar tissue from the last shutdown: The TSA’s top official told Congress last month that about 1,110 transportation security officers left in October and November after last fall’s 43-day shutdown, more than 25% above the same period a year earlier. The agency said that many of those departures were tied to uncertainty, missed paychecks, and financial strain.

Travel groups have been warning for days that delays were the obvious pressure point. TSA officers screen nearly a billion passengers a year, and the U.S. Travel Association says they earn about $35,000 on average — not exactly the kind of salary that leaves room for Washington to play chicken with workers’ rent.

TSA was already supposed to be surging staffing for March, April, and May to handle spring break and summer demand. Airlines for America says carriers are expecting a record 171 million passengers during the spring travel period (between March 1 and April 30), up 4% from a year earlier, with about 2.8 million travelers a day, 26,000 daily flights, and 3.5 million seats in the market. While spring break has arrived right on schedule, Congress has not.

And travelers are seeing firsthand how even a “partial” shutdown can jam a full airport.

📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief

Our free, fast and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

Sign me up

10 Stocks in the Defense Spending BoomSee Which 10 Defense Stocks Show Strong Growth Signals.Seeking Alpha |

SponsoredSponsored

Explore

Undo

10 High-Yield Dividend Stocks for MarchDiscover 10 High-Yield Dividend Stocks for March 2026.Seeking Alpha |

SponsoredSponsored

Explore

Undo

Many women here want a senior dating — join in.Love at Your Level — Meet Online Someone Who’s ReadyGoldenAgeSouls |

SponsoredSponsored

Read More

Undo

Sandra Bullock, 61, Takes off Her Makeup and Leaves Us SpeechlessVetob |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

顧客満足度No.1の転職サイトエン転職 |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

Remember Him Wait Till You See Him NowDaily Sport X |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

13 Oldest Hollywood Stars We Didn’t Know Were Still AliveReportingly |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

50代「もっと早く知りたかった…」6億円売れた履いて歩くだけの美姿勢の秘訣いつもの靴を変えて歩くだけ！体幹が目覚め健康的なカラダづくりをサポート。運動が苦手でもラクラク体幹ダイエット！amepla |

SponsoredSponsored

詳細

Undo

Looking for Senior Dating?While You Wait - They’re Chatting [Try It]GoldenAgeSouls |

SponsoredSponsored

Click Here

Undo

David Bowie’s daughter is one of the most beautiful women on the planet.Tipgalore |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

60歳になって聞き返すことが増えた私の最適解！ワンタッチ操作の集音器Olive Union |

SponsoredSponsored

続きを読む

Undo

Most Luxurious Hotels in the WorldTheseniormag.com |

SponsoredSponsored

Learn More

Undo

25 Best City Breaks in the WorldTripminutes.com |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

The 7 best compact SUVs right nowQuartz

Undo

Best savings accounts in 2026, according to U.S. NewsQuartz

Undo

Susan Boyle Is So Skinny Now And Looks Like A Model – We Can’t Stop Staring (Photos).Vetob |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

15 Most Beautiful Women EverToday’s NYC |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

50代母「美姿勢は簡単」履くだけで姿勢がピン！いつもの靴を変えて歩くだけ！体幹が目覚め健康的なカラダづくりをサポート。運動が苦手でもラクラク体幹ダイエット！amepla |

SponsoredSponsored

詳細

Undo

Janet Jackson (59) Finally Shows Her Son Eissa: He Is So Big!Foodie Friend |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

30 Of The Most Beautiful Women In HistoryWomentales.com |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

MOST POPULAR

What are the best cheap cars to buy right now?Quartz

Undo

MOST POPULAR

Oil price shock slams stocks as war against Iran drags onQuartz

Undo

Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the WorldTopgentlemen.com |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

Nine years ago they were called the most beautiful twins in the world. Look at them nowHealthsupportmag.com |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo

25 Best Cities for LivingTripminutes.com |

SponsoredSponsored

Undo