We know you need this now: how to check TSA wait times across the country as airport issues continue across the country

A partial government shutdown has left many TSA agents working without pay, leading to staffing shortages and wildly inconsistent wait times across the country. At some airports, lines have stretched into the hours: Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental recently clocked a staggering 270-minute wait.

So yes, you should absolutely be checking wait times before heading to the airport. But the question is: where?

First stop, the official tools. The TSA’s MyTSA app still exists and it lets travelers check estimated wait times, confirm what you can (and can’t) bring through security and even crowdsource delays from other passengers. It’s helpful, but not always reliable right now. Estimates can lag behind what’s actually happening on the ground, especially when there’s a fast-moving disruption at the airport.

If you’re crossing a land border instead of flying, Customs and Border Protection offers a separate Border Wait Time app. It updates hourly and breaks things down by vehicle type—cars, commercial trucks, even pedestrians—so you’re not guessing at the crossing.

But here’s where things get more interesting. A new wave of unofficial tools is stepping in to fill the gap, most notably a live TSA tracker built by aviation writer Zach Griff. Unlike the TSA’s own app, this tool pulls data directly from airports and, where available, shows wait times by individual checkpoint, including TSA PreCheck and CLEAR lanes.

There are caveats, of course. The tracker only works at airports that actually publish live data (that’s roughly 19 major hubs right now, including JFK, LaGuardia, LAX and Miami) and even then, not every checkpoint is covered. Still, it’s often a clearer snapshot than airport-wide averages.

If all else fails, you can go straight to the source. Many airport websites publish their own wait times (when staffing allows) and during major disruptions, they’ll often post advisories, like telling travelers to arrive three or even four hours early.

There’s no single perfect tool right now. But checking multiple sources—official apps, airport sites and newer real-time trackers—can give you a fighting chance for a stress-free travel day.