Tagged: tsa

TSA Makes Leap Toward Privatization with TSA Gold+

Fresh off a monthslong partial government shutdown that led to chaotic airport checkpoint lines, staff working without pay for 44 days, and more than 1,000 agents walking off the job…

First-of-Its-Kind "Remote Terminal" Lets You Go Through TSA Before Arriving at the Airport

For the first time, some air travelers will soon be able to complete the Transportation Security Administration screening process at a remote location, before arriving at the…

For a Limited Time, TSA PreCheck Is Cheaper for Travelers Under 30

This has been a rough spring for air travel. Soaring jet fuel costs caused by the war in Iran are pushing airfares higher. Vanishing budget carriers will only make tickets more…

Some Airports Have Suspended Wait Time Reporting Online Due to Shutdown Chaos

Remember how we advised you last week to consult the website of the airport you're flying out of in order to find reliable estimates for security wait times? The Transportation…

The Oscars of Airports Were Handed Out, and the U.S. Did About as Well as You'd Expect

Those of you reading this on your phones while stuck in a seemingly endless TSA line will probably not be surprised to learn that the U.S. didn't do so hot on the latest ranking of the…

The Best Way to Check TSA Wait Times in Advance (It's Not the TSA App)

As the partial government shutdown continues to drag on, many U.S. airports have reported extended wait times for passengers at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints. TSA…

Epic Security Lines Mean Chaos, and Missed Flights, At Many United States Airports This Week

In the fall of 2025, during the longest government shutdown in United States history, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lost some 1,100 agents, a 25% jump in…

"The TSA’s New $45 Fee to Fly Without ID is Illegal," Says Regulatory Expert

On Sunday, February 1, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began charging travelers without REAL ID $45 to fly.This may come as a surprise, but no U.S. law requires you to…

TSA to Charge Travelers Without REAL ID an Extra Fee to Fly

Showing up at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint without a REAL ID or passport will cost you an extra fee to get through airport security. Under the new program, set…

How to Use Apple's New Digital ID to Carry Your Passport in Your iPhone for TSA Checkpoints

Apple launched a new feature this week that lets iPhone and Apple Watch users store their U.S. passport information on those devices for use at Transportation Security Administration…

7 Tips for Surviving the FAA Flight Reduction Crisis—Including One You'll Wish You'd Thought Of Yourself

You’ve read the news: The U.S. government shutdown is now the longest in history. TSA agents and air traffic controllers haven’t been paid in over a month, so Transportation Secretary…

Before You Fly During the U.S. Shutdown, Check These Websites

The U.S. federal shutdown has lasted more than a month. Workers in the Transportation Security Administration and in the air traffic control system have not been paid, and their…

The TSA Has Banned These Hair Care Products from Checked Luggage

This year, the Transportation Security Administration has made a few important tweaks to security rules at the airport.In February, the TSA clarified that portable chargers and power…

In Parts of Europe, They're Letting You Fly with Up to 2 Liters of Liquid Now

On July 8, at the moment U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was throwing a fancy press event for the cameras to announce the end of the Transportation Security…

It's Official: The TSA Has Ended Its Loathed Shoe-Removal Policy

At airports across the United States, the Transportation Security Administration is now letting passengers in the standard screening line keep their shoes on. First noticed by flyers…

How to Travel with Wegovy, Zepbound, and Other Weight-Loss Injection Meds

Millions of people use injectable weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro. But the nature of these prescription medications—which have to be stored within a…

Can You Fly with an Expired ID? Here's What the TSA Says

Turns out the Transportation Security Administration will let you fly with expired identification—and for a surprisingly long time. According to the federal agency's rules on valid…

TSA Tips for Getting Through Airport Security This Summer

Summer is upon us once again and you know what that means: way more people at the airport and all of them in front of you in the TSA line. The agency says it's "ready for the…

Make Sure This Common Electronic Device Isn't in Your Checked Bag—Now TSA Rules Forbid It

Amid all the brouhaha over the long-awaited launch of the Transportation Security Administration's REAL ID requirement at U.S. airports, you might have missed news of another important…

Flyers without REAL ID Asked to Arrive 3 Hours Early (Or Just Bring This Instead)

REAL ID is a case study of how constantly shifting politics in the United States makes it nearly impossible to get constructive long-term projects done. First developed in 2001 after a…

Don't Have a REAL ID? You Can Use These Forms of Identification Instead

Update, December 1, 2025: As of February 2026, the United States government will charge its citizens a $45 fee to fly if they go to the airport without a REAL ID. Read more about the…

Can You Really Get Water Past TSA by Claiming It's "Medical"? Fact-Checking Social Media

An Instagrammer says he figured out how to get full-size bottles of water past Transportation Security Administration checkpoints."Here's the greatest travel hack of all time,"…

When Stuff Gets Left Behind at the TSA, the U.S. Government Sells It on This Site

Every travel blog and morning TV show seems to have unpacked every last detail about Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, Alabama. The store where your luggage might wind up for sale if…

What Documents Do I Need for REAL ID?

Update: Since publication of this post, REAL ID requirements went into place.The oft-postponed REAL ID deadline is almost here—only 17 years or so behind schedule. Passed by Congress…

TSA Bins Are Absolutely Disgusting, Says This TSA Agent

Here's another reason to hope that the social media trend of posting photos of artfully arranged airport security trays remains back in 2024 where it belongs. Turns out that using…