Travel expert shares tips amid long TSA security lines at airports

CBS News
March 19, 2026
2 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

TSA security lines lengthen during partial government shutdown as agents work without pay; travel expert offers tips.

How This Affects You

If you fly during the shutdown, expect longer security screening delays at airports that could cause missed flights or travel delays.

AI Summary

Clint Henderson, managing editor of The Points Guy, offered time-saving tips to CBS News as TSA security lines lengthen at U.S. airports during a partial government shutdown. TSA agents are continuing to work without pay amid the shutdown, creating staffing pressures that have extended wait times at security checkpoints. Henderson's guidance addresses a practical problem for travelers: longer screening delays that could cause missed flights or increased stress during airport visits. The shutdown's impact on airport operations underscores the vulnerability of critical federal services that operate on skeleton crews when funding lapses occur.

What's Being Done

TSA agents are continuing to work without pay during the shutdown despite staffing pressures.

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