If you have a flight coming up, listen up.
Right now, airports across the country are a mess. TSA lines at major hubs like O'Hare, Atlanta, and DFW are spilling out of terminals and into parking lots. Travelers in Houston waited over three hours just to get through security. Officials in New Orleans are telling passengers to arrive three hours early.
And it is only getting worse. Spring break traffic is surging. TSA staffing is stretched thin from the government shutdown. Some agents are skipping shifts because they are not getting paid.
Here is the part nobody is talking about though.
There is already a fix. And if you have TSA PreCheck, you can set it up in about 10 minutes.
It's called TSA PreCheck Touchless ID.
Here's how it works. You opt in through your airline's app, upload your passport photo, and give consent to use facial comparison technology. When you get to the airport, a camera takes your photo, matches it to your passport on file, and you walk through. No wallet out. No boarding pass fumbling. No digging through your bag.
Just walk through.
The lanes are separate from the standard PreCheck lines, which means even less congestion. TSA is expanding the program to 65 major airports by spring 2026. American Airlines currently covers 25 airports. Delta covers 27. Philly, Denver, LAX, O'Hare, JFK, and SFO are all already live.
The cost? Nothing extra. It is included with your existing PreCheck membership.
To set it up, open your airline app and look for "TSA PreCheck and travel documents." Select "TSA PreCheck Touchless ID," upload your passport photo, and complete the consent pages. That's it.
Bring your Real ID or passport as a backup just in case, but most people sail right through.
With airports in full chaos mode right now, this is one of the easiest wins you can give yourself before your next trip. Ten minutes of setup for potentially hours saved at the airport.
Worth it.
Keep traveling,
Andrew
Have you been stuck in a brutal TSA line recently? Where were you flying and how long did it take?