Traveling may have been glamorous in the past, but more often than not, it is a headache now. This is even more so the case with the recent government shutdown. As the shutdown continues, TSA lines are getting worse by the day. Add that to staffing shortages and air travel disruptions, and you have a really sticky situation. Fortunately, travel experts are sharing their advice on how to stay sane and avoid the worst of the lines.
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Travel Experts Share How To Beat Increasing TSA Lines
When speaking to the NY Post, Benji Stawski, an NYC travel writer and personal finance expert, shared the mayhem that is occurring. “Fewer screeners mean fewer open lanes, translating directly to hours-long lines. It’s no longer enough to show up just two hours before your flight,” he admitted.
Although it may seem tedious to take even more steps than showing up hours early for your flight, it is the best course of action if you want to evade those increasing TSA lines. The NY Post recommends the following tips. First, they recommend you make expedited security a priority.
You can do that by selecting TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, “a paid security membership that utilizes iris, fingerprint scans, and facial imaging for identity verification.” Additionally, the outlet shares that both PreCheck and CLEAR are incredibly easy to apply for. PreCheck allows you to keep shoes on and laptops in your bag, which helps security lines move more quickly.
Also, CLEAR “uses biometrics so you can completely skip the ID-checking line –exactly where the biggest travel jams are happening.” Travel experts also suggested using AirTags to help keep track of your luggage. While it may not make the check-in process faster, it can help you better manage where your luggage goes.
Finally, the same old advice from before holds true now: just leave early. It is always a good idea; it is better to be waiting patiently at your gate than to be sweating through a security line. With the increasing TSA lines, the experts suggest leaving two to three hours earlier than you normally would.
