(HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA) As of November 12, 2025, airports across the United States 🇺🇸 are still seeing TSA wait times well above normal, even as the federal government begins restarting after weeks of disruption. The long lines, flight delays, and staffing gaps that built up during the shutdown are lingering, with no quick return to pre-shutdown rhythms. Travelers have been urged to show up much earlier than usual, and in Houston Bush Intercontinental, confusion over posted times has made planning even harder for families, business travelers, and airport workers trying to keep trips on track.
Houston: posted times vs. reality
In Houston, airport monitors and websites have at times warned of three-hour security waits, only for the reality to be far shorter by the time passengers reached the checkpoint. Houston’s Bush Intercontinental posted 180 minutes at 1:00 p.m. on November 4, though actual waits changed through the day.
ABC13’s Nick Natario reported that early in the morning “the line was so long it stretched beyond the TSA checkpoint area,” but later added, “That’s not the case right now. And some people were so nervous when they saw what they found online. They came hours early, only to find out the wait was only 15 minutes when they got here.”
Airport and TSA officials say the mismatch sometimes comes down to how lines are measured. At Houston Bush Intercontinental, airport staff explained that when lines extend beyond sensors, posted estimates can jump, even if officers then clear the queue faster than expected.
Passengers are juggling competing signals:
- Social media alarms
- Airport dashboards flashing red
- Text alerts from airlines that can change by the hour
For many, the safe choice has been to arrive early—sometimes very early—rather than gamble on a swift pass through security.
National picture: uneven recovery and ongoing pressure
The national situation remains uneven and tense. During the weeks-long shutdown, TSA wait times at major airports regularly topped 60–75 minutes, with some reports of lines stretching toward three hours. Those patterns haven’t snapped back.
Alerts from airports and the TSA recommend passengers plan for 30–75 minutes or more at screening and leave extra time for crowded checkpoints. Officials warn that even if a local airport looks calm in the morning, afternoon and evening surges can quickly change conditions.
Flight operations have been hit as well:
- The Federal Aviation Administration ordered flight cuts at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports.
- Those reductions are scheduled to grow to 10% by the end of the week.
- Cuts are tied to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers who went unpaid during the stoppage.
These cutbacks create cascading delays: late arrivals affect subsequent flights, which then increase pressure on TSA lines and boarding gates.
Traveler experiences and human impact
Travelers have borne much of the burden. Kyra March, stuck in a chain of delays at Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, said: “I was coming from Tampa and that flight got delayed, delayed, delayed. Then it was canceled and then rebooked. And so I had to stay at a hotel and then came back this morning.”
Stories like hers are playing out across hubs large and small. Families are rerouting vacations, students are reshuffling returns to campus, and workers are missing tightly scheduled meetings.
Behind the numbers is the human toll of restarting a complex system:
- TSA officers working extra shifts to clear backlogs
- Airline crews shuffling pairings to keep planes moving
- Airport volunteers handing out water and answering questions
Small changes—one lane short of staff, a sudden lane opening—ripple into the wider traveler experience.
Official warnings and planning advice
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that the next two weeks could be hard, especially as the holiday rush builds:
“As I look two weeks out, as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to a trickle as everyone wants to travel to see their families…. It doesn’t get better. It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”
Airport advice is consistent: arrive much earlier than you normally would—two to three hours before a domestic flight and even earlier for international departures.
Recommended traveler checklist:
- Check multiple sources (airport monitors, airline alerts, and apps).
- Confirm with your airline before leaving for the airport.
- Add a time cushion—prefer earlier arrival over risk of missing a flight.
- Prepare for variable waits throughout the day; afternoon/evening may be worse.
Technology limits: trackers as guides, not guarantees
A second theme is that technology is not always keeping up with reality. Airports and the TSA caution that website trackers may be unreliable in fast-changing conditions.
- When crowds spill outside sensor zones, data can be skewed.
- Trackers should be used as a guide, not a guarantee.
For official updates on security lines and screening rules, travelers can check the TSA wait times page, then confirm with their airline before heading out.
Recovery outlook
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, there is no firm sign that wait times have returned to normal. The system is recovering, but the gap between posted estimates and lived experience continues to frustrate travelers.
At Houston Bush Intercontinental, a posted three-hour line can sometimes shrink quickly when more officers open lanes or early-morning peaks fade by midday.
Even with reopening underway, leaders remain cautious: there is no evidence yet that TSA wait times are back to normal. Recent data shows progress in some windows and setbacks in others. The run-up to Thanksgiving will test whether staffing can keep pace with demand.
Airlines urge flyers to monitor apps and emails. Crews are working route by route to reduce downstream cancellations, but any delay at one hub can pinch others. Many travelers are sticking with the early-arrival strategy they developed during the shutdown.
Key takeaways
- Wait times are still elevated.
- Website trackers can be off; use them as a guide.
- Schedules remain fragile; expect cancellations and delays.
- Plan to arrive early—2–3 hours for domestic, more for international.
Until staffing stabilizes and FAA flight caps ease, passengers should expect a bumpy climb back to normal.
This Article in a Nutshell
Following a weeks-long federal shutdown, TSA security lines at major U.S. airports remain elevated as of November 12, 2025. Houston Bush Intercontinental posted a 180-minute wait on Nov. 4, though actual delays varied through the day. The FAA ordered flight cuts at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, expanding to 10% reductions by week’s end due to controller staffing shortages. Travelers are advised to check multiple sources, arrive two to three hours early for domestic flights, and expect continued disruptions heading into Thanksgiving.
