The TSA expects more passengers during the 2018 summer travel season, and has implemented several steps to handle the increase. However, you can still expect long lines at busy airports. We have several tips on how to get ahead. Scroll through the images.Danjo Paluska/Flickr
1. Pick the right airport
Smaller airports tend to offer fewer destinations, but if there is a flight that is going your way, it may be a less stressful option than flying out of a major airport. For example, JetBlue offers flights between New York and Los Angeles, Burbank, and Long Beach. Instead of flying in and out of busy LAX, you can opt for a quieter experience out of Burbank or Long Beach.americanspirit/123RF
2. Pay for expedited boarding
Some airlines charge extra for the use of priority lanes that are normally reserved for elite frequent fliers (you can select this option usually when you check in). While you would still need to go through the standard security measures, you would get to the TSA agent and X-ray machines quicker than the hoi polloi. This sounds great in theory, but we should note that we’ve experienced longer-than-usual priority lanes lately. So, buyers beware.stanislaw/123RF
3. Know what you’re carrying on
According to Spagnola, “because of the cost of checked luggage being expensive, more people are trying to bring on as much carry-on as possible, which makes for the perfect storm of slower lines through TSA as there are more items to check.” And, with more holidaymakers who may not be aware of TSA regulations, the security-screening process could take even longer.
While you can’t do anything about your fellow passengers, you can make your time at the X-ray machines shorter by doing the following in advance: Pack away your jacket, belt, and nonessentials; empty pockets; remove your laptop or use an approved bag; take out toiletries; and wear slip-on shoes. Be mindful of the TSA’s rules on liquids. Unless you’re heading to a remote location, we suggest you ditch the toiletries at home and purchase travel-sized ones at your destination.lightpoet/123RF
4. Join TSA PreCheck
PreCheck is the program where prescreened passengers are able to move through security quicker (they are exempt from removing items from bags, shoes, etc.). Even during busy travel times, we have been able to pass through security screening in ten minutes or less. According to the TSA, 93 percent of passengers in the TSA Pre program waited less than five minutes during the 2018 spring break travel season. Take it from us, it makes a world of difference. If you travel abroad often, consider the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry program instead, which provides PreCheck eligibility as well as automated customs clearance.tvirbickis/123RF
5. Get there early
This is common sense, but how early should you get to the airport? Besides the security wait times, you’ll need to factor in other things like road traffic, finding parking, or checking in luggage. The TSA recommends two hours, but according to Tom Spagnola of the travel website CheapOair, wait times at major airports for domestic flights could be as long as three hours – the length of time normally recommended for international flights.
With the nightmarish scenarios that have been in the news recently, it may not be a bad idea to get to the airport four hours in advance, or even more. Nobody likes spending time at the airport, but consider it the opportune moment to catch up on a book or movie. Many airports have added extra power outlets to keep devices charged and many even offer free Wi-Fi, so you can continue working remotely. If the budget allows, use an app like Loungebuddy to find a quiet place to unwind. But if anything, getting to the airport will keep stress levels down.artistan/123RF
6. Fly private
If you can’t stand the crowds, why not charter a private jet? You avoid the major airports, and you can arrive 10 minutes before the flight departs. Services like JetSmarter and Victor are two “Uber of private jets” that let you book a plane via a mobile app, and even show you the lowest real-time prices. No, it’s not cheap for most people, but if you are willing to pay a premium -- whether it’s a private plane, TSA PreCheck, or airline upgrades- you can make the travel experience a bit more manageable.leaf/123RF
7. Fly in the morning
We don’t like waking before the crack of dawn, just to head to the airport. But catching the first flights of the day has obvious advantages. Since the airport is starting its operations, an early flight is more likely to depart and land on time than ones later in the day (the same can be said about flights that land in the morning). You’re also dealing with fewer people at that time. As the day progresses, airports are operating at max capacity, which leads to higher chances of delays. There are some experts who disagree, however, saying the morning tends to be busy with business travelers. But business travelers tend to know the rules, and are more likely to breeze through security than the occasional flier. If you’re looking for a statistical explanation of why this is true, statistician Nate Silver has charted it out.3dmentat/123RF
For anyone who flies regularly, long security lines at airports are a norm. But with more of us traveling by air — especially with the 2018 summer season, which the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects to be the busiest yet — we can expect longer than usual lines. According to Michael Bilello, Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs at the TSA, checkpoint volume growth is anticipated to be up 4 percent, compared to 2017. And, more than 243 million passengers and crew will go through TSA screening during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day
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In the past, the TSA had grappled with a shortage of agents to deal with the influx of passengers, which resulted in incredibly long lines that have forced passengers to endure hours-long waits or even miss their flights. Passengers confused about TSA checkpoint rules added to those wait times. In 2016, in Chicago, 450 American Airlines passengers couldn’t make their flights due to security wait times.
It’s not an easy job: On average, the TSA screens 2.1 million passengers and crew, per day; on busier days, it could be another 400,000. But since then, the TSA has been working on improving operations. Bilello told Digital Trends that the agency has “conducted hiring events at hard-to-hire airports, increased advertising to help recruit new hires, and improved the timeliness of the hiring and new hire training process.”
“Despite attrition, TSA increased its frontline headcount by 620 officers since the beginning of the year,” Bilello added. “We expect to increase by another 1,000 officers before the peak summer travel season.”
At the peak in July, the TSA expects to have 1,800 more frontline officers than in 2017. The agency is increasing overtime for officers to deal with peak travel seasons, and adding more Passenger Screening Canine Teams to assist the TSA officers. Ahead of the summer, the TSA will be briefing airports and the airline community “to maintain security effectiveness and efficient operations,” Bilello said.
But even before summer arrives, the TSA has already started dealing with higher volume of passengers. During spring break (March 15 to April 15), the TSA screened more than 72 million passengers and almost 45 million checked bags. Compared to the same period in 2017, it marks a 5 percent increase. But 95 percent of passengers waited fewer than 20 minutes to clear the checkpoint, while 93 percent of passengers in the TSA Pre program waited less than 5 minutes.
But the security checkpoint isn’t entirely responsible for long lines. Aging infrastructure of existing airports aren’t able to handle the increasing number of passengers. And then there are situations that are completely out of anybody’s hands, such as weather and computer glitches, which severely impact airport operations. (If you are affected by cancelations, we have tips on what to do.)
Tamur Goudarzi Pour, Lufthansa Group’s vice president for the Americas, told Digital Trends that there isn’t one airport that’s not going through some kind of construction, to improve the passenger experience. For its operation, the company is looking into ways technology could help alleviate some of these pain points. It recently tested biometric technology at its gate at Los Angeles International, where 350 passengers successfully boarded an Airbus A380 in less than 30 minutes, using just facial recognition — from gate to seat. Working with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the technology could one day extend all the way to security, not just at the gate. But that’s still far off in the future.
Until then, some experts recommend you just stay calm and carry on, but it doesn’t help when you’re still stuck in line and you have to board a plane in the next half-hour. The key, experts agree, is to prepare beforehand, including knowing the rules (if you aren’t sure, ask a question via the TSA’s Ask TSA Twitter account.. By following a few basic tips, you can easily beat your fellow passengers to the finish line.
This article was updated on May 8, 2018 to reflect new information from the Transportation Security Administration.
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