(HOUSTON, TEXAS) International travelers landing at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental faced hours-long lines at security and customs this week as the ongoing government shutdown deepened TSA staffing shortages and rippled across international arrival terminals. Airport officials said waits stretched up to three hours at times, with only a fraction of checkpoints open as more screeners called out while working without pay. Similar scenes were reported in Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Austin, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Newark, where longer lines and slower processing have turned routine arrivals into extended ordeals for families, business travelers, and airline crews.
Current conditions at checkpoints and passport control
The strain is most visible where the flow of passengers meets limited personnel: checkpoints and passport control. TSA screeners and air traffic controllers are classified as essential staff and must report to work, but many have missed paychecks for more than 31 days, creating fatigue and financial hardship.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, callout rates have surged to levels comparable to, or above, those seen during the 2018–2019 shutdown, when lines and delays spiked across major hubs. The difference now, airport staff say, is the sheer volume of international traffic returning to pre-pandemic levels without a matching workforce on duty.
- Large gateways: lengthy waits, few lanes open, overflow corridors
- Smaller airports: minimal delays in off-peak periods (near 5 minutes on average)
- Travelers most affected: those connecting to domestic flights after long-haul arrivals
Passengers connecting to domestic flights after international arrivals often bear the brunt, frequently stuck in security after clearing customs with limited options when flights depart without them.
How flight reductions and controller shortages compound delays
With air traffic controllers unpaid and increasingly absent, the Federal Aviation Administration has imposed flight reductions at busier airports to manage capacity. Fewer takeoff and landing slots can push arrivals into later time windows, stacking passengers in international arrival terminals just as fewer TSA officers are available to handle them.
This creates a cascading effect:
- A flight lands on time.
- It feeds into a slower-processing system.
- Bottlenecks build and delays roll through the day.
Information gaps and planning difficulties
Real-time TSA wait time updates on official apps and websites have been paused during the shutdown, removing a tool many passengers rely on to decide when to leave for the airport. Without those updates:
- Airlines report more customers missing bag drop cutoffs and boarding times.
- Ground staff advise customers to show up well ahead of schedule.
- Conditions can change quickly within a single morning.
Travel advisers are urging passengers to arrive at least three hours before an international flight to account for longer security and customs processing, especially at peak times. Families should pack extra snacks and medications in carry-on bags in case waits exceed expectations.
Practical tips for travelers
- Arrive earlier: at least three hours before international departures.
- Pack essentials in carry-on: medications, snacks, chargers, documentation.
- Book wider connection buffers: avoid tight same-day connections when possible.
- Avoid last connections of the day: rebooking options narrow and overnight stays are more likely.
- Monitor airline app notifications: airlines are pushing earlier check-in alerts where possible.
Operational responses and limitations
Airport managers, industry groups, and frequent fliers agree there’s no single fix while the shutdown continues. TSA staffing shortages won’t ease without pay being restored, and unions say morale is slipping as workers juggle unpaid bills and long shifts.
The stress shows in operational details:
- More secondary inspections as fatigued staff double-check bags
- Slower bin turnover as lines stretch
- Fewer agents available to open additional lanes when crowds swell
Airline operations teams are reworking gate assignments to spread arrivals, but controller coverage ultimately dictates how many flights can move at once.
Local factors shaping passenger experience
While the pressure is national, local realities shape how it feels:
- Houston: long-haul arrivals from Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East can cluster within an hour, magnifying pinch points.
- Denver & Phoenix: domestic connections are common, creating trouble for passengers who must re-clear security.
- Newark & Philadelphia: construction and terminal layouts can make redirecting crowds harder when lanes close.
Travel data shared with carriers show wait times are volatile, even within the same airport on the same day. Early mornings may move smoothly, then deteriorate as shifts lag, only to ease briefly before another rush.
Where to find official guidance
Passengers seeking official guidance on screening rules and travel documents can still find baseline information from the Transportation Security Administration’s traveler portal, which remains online at the Transportation Security Administration. However, information about current line lengths or lane closures may be outdated or unavailable during the shutdown.
- Local airport social media accounts have become ad hoc sources for updates.
- Airlines are using app notifications to alert passengers of earlier check-in windows, though these cannot speed up federal screening.
Airline and airport policy changes
Airlines and airports have avoided broad public projections about when normal service will return, noting that it hinges on the shutdown ending and staffing stabilizing afterward. Current responses include:
- Carriers waiving change fees in limited cases tied to missed connections after long checkpoint delays (policies vary by airline and route).
- Airport customer service teams handing out water near the ends of security lines.
- Redirecting passengers with near-term departures into priority lanes when staff allows.
These efforts are uneven and depend on available personnel.
“Plan for delays, be patient where you can, and build extra time into every step until the government reopens and operations normalize.”
The human toll
The human cost is plain in the stories of those stuck in line. Families returning from winter holidays arrive home hours late. Business travelers miss meetings. Foreign visitors find their first impression of the United States 🇺🇸 marked by uncertainty at the terminal doors.
In the absence of a concrete end date, airport workers and travelers share a common message: plan for delays, be patient where possible, and build extra time into travel plans. As long as the government shutdown continues, the combination of TSA staffing shortages, flight reductions, and paused updates will keep pressure on international arrival terminals across the country.
This Article in a Nutshell
The government shutdown has intensified TSA staffing shortages, leaving many screeners and air traffic controllers unpaid for more than 31 days. Major hubs, including Houston, Philadelphia, Denver and Newark, reported international-arrival processing delays up to three hours with limited checkpoints open. FAA-imposed flight reductions and paused TSA wait-time updates worsened congestion. Travelers are warned to arrive three hours early, pack essentials in carry-on luggage, and allow wider connection buffers until federal operations resume.
