Wait times for security at US Airports...

[obrienkf]

Dear community...



website (i think I got it correct) wait-time.tsa.dhs.gov provides an estimate of time in security, by hour (or rough time of day) for every airport in the US. so, if you are transitting somewhere, and need to scoot from one terminal to another, this may give you an idea of how long the line is... or could be. which is pretty helpful if your transit / connection is tight already.



website may not be exact... but pretty close.



kind regards

[kyshel]

great idea--and that's the address. after checking some of the airports I use frequently (ATL, CVG, DTW, JFK and LGA ) I question their numbers.
If they are averaging the specially screened pax with the less-fortunate masses (I fall in there; I don't get clearance perks even when my husband is on duty) it invalidates the data for practical reference.
The posted single digit wait times at any of the TSA checkpoints I've been through in the past 6 months are not in my recollection. (I checked several--one exception--CVG Sunday 7am was 3-4 minutes) I realize these are not applicable for holiday travel, which doesn't help to accurately inform passengers either.
ATL is notorious for 30-60 minute security wait times. I don't think that includes the the passenger control many airlines utilize in "dispensing" people into terminals like some of the "pre-queues" before arriving at TSA. If a relatively un-traveled person read those numbers, they might think they didn't need an hour to get to their gate. Maybe that's why there are snafu's and running pax disrupting queues?
Have you experienced these wait-times? I'm very curious now! hmmmm...

[jsattapr2]

obrienkf and kyshel,where does theTSA come up with 4 to 6 minutes? I typically allow at least one to one and one half hours of queue time atMIA, MCO, IAD, JFK and LAX from the time I anticipate walking through the entry door of the terminals until I am seated in a travel lounge. Am I the only one who has the uncanny misfortune to stand behind the person who cannot unlace their shoes or cannot find the coins in their pockets that continue to set off the alarms? What about the family traveling with an infant, acarrier and a diaper bag that needs to be hand searched? If I had the expense account, I would be parking my cheeks in a private plane rather than traveling steerage.

[kyshel]

I really am laughing--thanks for the funny comments!
I guess it's strictly from the point where you enter begin TSA cking your ID? They can't count any time you take to stroll thru miles of corridors, ride trains and--God forbid--shop or visit a toilet!! BUT I have seen only one passenger take 4 minutes to just remove a jacket and shoes, get the toileries baggie out, take out the laptop--put them all in 3-5 bins(along with the shoulder and/or garment/rollerbag) then clear the scanner--and that's just 1 person!! I can bet that TSA agents don't fly!??

[obrienkf]

jsattapr2 --- i am the person BEHIND you!!!



i travel in 'slip on shoes no buckles', no belt, no loose change or coins, no laptop (just my blackberry), no liquids, and nothing in my briefcase but paper.... recently i was going thru one of these, a family ahead of me, the teenage son had a geometry set in his back pack (he was going to do his homework on the plane ...) and the entire family was SHOCKED and OUTRAGED that the security team were going to confiscate his geometry compass --- the thing was metal with a two inch point on it.... it just astounds me that people still try to take those sorts of things on aircraft, and create needless grief to security staff who are just doing their job. That episode took a few staff away from screening civilized passengers, and likely set everyone's 'average times' off for that day, and elevated everyone's blood-pressure. And the parents were looking to the rest of us for affirmation that their behaviour was justified. Some people....



In Sydney airport there is, on occasion, aseparate queue through mandatory security for Qantas business class clients (including those with top of the range frequent flyer status). Same security but a shorter queue, and unlikely to have all the palava with the baby buggy and those who cannot untie their laces, or who need to be told twice to remove their jackets and shoes and belts. Perhaps someother airports should be thinking along those lines so that the outrageous cost of Business Class tickets really meant service, and premium frequent flyer statusmeant somethingtangible beyond 'pleasant check in and lounge access'.



If I can avoid those airports that offer chaos based movement of people, I do. And perhaps that little website from TSA can give some indication, when you add in all the other time spent racing between terminals etc, of when to ABSOLUTELY avoid travelling / transitting that airport.



kind regards

[bonniejoy03]

What a topic. I think the wait times are secretly based on your own connection times. For example, I have found that if we arrive at the airport a million hours ahead of time, there will be NO line and we breeze through. If we have to go through customs, reenter security and catch a connecting flight with a two hour layover, there is a million hour line. I can prove this statistic. This is why I know so many airport hotels so well. Either I stay overnight so I have more than enough time to catch a flight OR the connection time and security issues make connections impossible and I overnight at the airport. All in all, I much prefer to arrive at the airport on the very early side. Its great when you can use an airlines lounge...makes the wait more bearable.

[imbues]

Here's an article about the silliness of some of the security measures.
The Airport Security Follies

[CMDAVILACLI]

I've found, with the exception of traveling through a tiny little regional airport somewhere in the USA, the waits through security lines are easily 30+ minutes at most of the major airports. And I'm the one who always gets behind the first time traveller who cannot read the signs indicating what can and cannot be taken through. The other day I was going through the security in front of a very, very old couple from somewhere like India who didn't speak a word of English. I knew right away that these two would have a difficult time going through so I hung around and watched. As I suspected, they didn't understand at all what was being asked of them, i.e. remove shoes, jewelry, go through the "archway" etc. The TSA guy kept telling the old gal to remove all of her gold bangles, put her purse through the inspection machine, etc and was getting very frustrated when she didn't comply. I finally stepped up, and through a lot of gestures and help, I removed her jewelry,helped her off with her sandals, waited for her to walk through, and made sure she got all her jewelry back from the little dish (the TSA people just let the dish go down the roller ramp without grabbing it for her). All I kept thinking is that this could be me (in quite a few years) in some foreign country and not knowing what all these people were asking of me. I ended up walking them to their gate as I had quite a bit of time (I always arrive at the airport early because I've missed more than one flight stuck in a security line!).
cmdavilacli

[CMDAVILACLI]

Further to bonniejoy03's comment about having to clear customs then go outside of security and re-enter... does anyone know why on connecting flights this happens? Everytime I've flown internationally and transfered through Los Angeles LAX or Denver, we are forced to exit the secure areas and start all over in the non secure areas and then have to go through security again. This always stresses us out and usually ends up making us run to catch our plane, despite a typical two hour connection. Customs and Immigration takes up quite a bit of time and then to stand in another 30 minute line just doesn't make sense. And of course, the airlines won't compensate you if you miss your connection because you got stuck in a security line...
cmdavilacli

[claassenam]

CMDA - I know! Connecting off an international flight through LAX is such a pain since you have to take the shuttle from the International Terminal to another to get your connection. However, coorect me if I am wrong, I am fairly sure that it is common in all US international airports that after you pass through customs you ultimately go through security again before entering to your connection. This is likely because it is still impossible for the US to regulate all outside international airports and they want to make sure you aren't entering with the contraband liquids, etc. which I know from experience aren't always checked as extensively at other airports. At some airports, however, there is a much lighter security lane specifically from the international terminal into the other terminals. Unfortunately since the terminals aren't physically connected at LAX you have to completely leave and re-enter like everyone else when you go to your domestic connection.