Travel Alert: Flight Delays & Long Lines At Major US Airports Amid Shutdown

Share The Article

“Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed”.

That’s the message welcoming visitors to the Department of Homeland Security’s website today.

Encouraging, right?

It’s estimated that the current government shutdown has affected 750,000 federal employees. If you saw the number of dreadful lines at major US airports this week, you might feel like an equal number of travelers have been impacted too.

Let’s face it — despite barking orders and herding us through security lines like cattle, TSA agents need some grace right now during unprecedented times, as do other airport workers and airline employees who are surely just as frustrated as we are.

With the holidays right around the corner, we’re entering one of the busiest travel times of the year. Normally, TSA issues a seasonal alert with helpful tips to navigate the chaos like ones we at Travel Off Path have covered in the past.

However, this time around, there’s nobody on the clock to write it! That being said, we’re here to give you our best shot at what to expect as the ongoing shutdown feels more like a meltdown to travelers.

It’s Not Just Houston That Has A Problem

Check the news in the last 24 hours?

Chances are you saw long lines out the wazoo at Houston’s mega-hub George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

Whether it be national news or social media rants, seeing hordes of people congregating in what was supposed to be a normal line looked more like a boarding gate mosh pit.

Local Houston news station KHOU-11 reports IAH saw an average wait of 3 hours, and 1 hour for the Southwest hub Hobby (HOU).

Though, our Managing Editor, Tyler, would likely take those wait times over his unbearable 6+ hour delay yesterday — yikes!

While Houston stole the headlines, the South’s most underrated city served as a distraction for numerous popular airports across the country.

A quick Google search shows Atlanta, Dallas (both airports), Nashville, and Newark (shocking, I know…), among others — places where travelers spent way too long browsing Hudson bookstores or glued to a Chili’s barstool watching the same sports highlights on repeat if you braved the extensive delays.

The point is to prepare for some serious headaches at airports in what’s already a busy time to travel, whether it be untimely delays or even cancellations.

Food For Thought: Are Secondary Airports A Better Option Right Now?

What Burbank is to LAX and Love Field is to Dallas — these are secondary airports.

Aforementioned Lobby may prove you’re in for lesser wait times as travelers found themselves waiting 2 hours less than Bush.

The problem is that secondary airports are secondary for a reason — they don’t offer nearly the same level of connectivity.

But it seems worth a shot to take a look if there are alternative flights at smaller airports that don’t see the same level of crowds.

For example, if I needed to fly to Phoenix from my hometown of San Diego I have 2 other options within 45 minutes — Carlsbad (CLD) and Tijuana (TIJ).

It can’t hurt to take a look! Many budget airlines have adopted the strategy of anchoring lesser-known airports, so you could potentially save money and wait times if your destinations match up.

Important Tips To Reduce Nightmarish Travel Days

According to a new report, well over 16,000 US flights were delayed and another nearly 2,300 were cancelled last weekend.

As you saw Monday, many travelers rightfully had a bad case of “The Mondays”.

Our entire team of experts here at Travel Off Path have endured nightmarish travel days at one point or another.

As such, we’ve put together some important tips to follow during this record-breaking shutdown:

• Airlines are trying their best to reduce headaches — check for flight delays before you leave home
• Try to book direct flights to reduce odds of missed connection
• Arrive early — As The Points Guy points out, wait times listed on the TSA app are not updated regularly since nobody is manning the ship
• Make sure to follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule through security
• Use airline apps to change reservations (avoid phone wait times)
• Follow your airport and airline on social media closely
• Download your favorite podcasts or movies to bide time
• Know your passenger rights
• Consider booking travel insurance for worst-case scenarios