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Comments (7)
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Save/ShareRecently, while reporting a story, I discovered that looking up the average wait times at airport security lines is about as frustrating as actually waiting in line at a checkpoint.
The TSA used to have a Wait Time Calculator for terminals across the country, but that online service is shuttered through 2009, at least. That left sites like FlightStats without current data for even the major airports. (For instance, I tried searching for data on New York City and Chicago airports over the past week, and wait-time data has been unavailable.)
iPhone users can download apps (of course) that include security wait times. TSAwait, $1 in the iTunes app store, was relying on the TSA wait times calculator. They still use the most recent information from the TSA at 400 airports and more than 700 checkpoints, but they're working off old data that has probably changed.
Travelocity also publishes an iPhone-optimized site that has average security wait-times. The data is gathered from a yearly "Thanksgiving Task Force" survey done at the 10 of the U.S.'s busiest airports. But the stats aren't available for every airport, and it's only valid around the holidays.
Orbitz has a Traveler Update section, with some average wait times at larger airports—but, again, it's not complete research for every airport.
Your best bet might be to check the website of the airports you'll be using. Atlanta's international airport, for instance, has updated security wait times on its homepage. (As an aside, the airport also has a Facebook page—who knew?)
If you're a type-A traveler like me, timely, thorough info is useful (and reassuring!). It's also nice to learn in advance, for example, that a particular checkpoint in terminal X sees far less action than other checkpoints (don't you love feeling like you've beat the system?) But until the TSA gets their site back up and running, we'll have to look a bunch of places for just one set of information—a frustrating prospect for any traveler.
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When was the last time anyone experienced more than a 10 min wait in airport security? Aside from the rare backup, long security waits seem to be largely a thing of the past.
Posted By chris on June 11, 2009, 11:11 AM
Boston's Logan Airport has always been thorough at checkpoints, but three weeks ago I missed my flight (the first time in several decades of frequent travel) due to an aggressive TSA security officer. This man chose to enforce the new ruling regarding shoes being on the conveyor belt (optional at that point) by yelling directions down the crowded line instead of waiting until passengers were within a reasonable distance to the checkpoint. The wait was more than a half-hour to get through and there was only one screener operating. Beware gates 40-42.
Posted By BostonBarbara on June 11, 2009, 12:47 PM
Chris...try going through Denver...30-45 minute wait many times, although my friend made it through in under 10 minutes last time.
Posted By christina on June 11, 2009, 2:09 PM
Security time varies a lot, even within an airport. If you go through United at LAX, plan on being in line for over 45-60 minutes. It's so bad that they the way you probably get through is when they call out people with your flight time to go through security before your flight leaves. You will NOT get to your gate before boarding begins unless you get there VERY early. At the same time, Alaska or Delta will get you through security quickly. American can vary a lot.
Posted By Renee on June 11, 2009, 5:16 PM
Hi Chris,
First, it’s great to virtually meet you. I’ve been a longtime fan of your great travel advice.
Second, you recently posted a comment on Budget Travel’s blog saying:
Fair point...Wait times have dropped considerably since the early days after 9/11. However...There are often problems, as I’ve found in my personal travels this past year. See some comments from readers above.
Not to be combative...just trying to keep the conversation rolling. Thanks again for commenting,
Sean
Senior editor, Budget Travel
Posted By Blog Editor on June 15, 2009, 11:59 AM
Re: Wait times.....I do think that the major hassles have generally disappeared over the last couple years. Of course there are still occasional snafus and surprises, but in general, the whole "hassle factor" that we all wrote about so much is pretty much gone. To me it seems that long security delays are now the exception, and not the rule as they were a few short years ago.
Posted By chris on June 15, 2009, 1:08 PM
I have had several opportunities to fly out of Washington National and Newark- and I can only hope that your waits in line are less than mine.
Posted By Alice on June 19, 2009, 11:15 AM