Twenty airports across the United States use private companies to carry out security screenings—and have therefore avoided the long lines seen at other airports across the county amid the ongoing partial government shutdown.

You may be following all the rules, but certain items and behaviors can still get travelers flagged for extra screening at the airport.

Passengers can decline a facial scan and request a standard ID verification process instead. It is also legal to opt out of the full-body scanner, which will result in a physical pat-down by a TSA agent. Passengers who opt for alternative screening should ...

Starting February 1, 2026, TSA will charge travelers $45 to pass through security without a Real ID or other valid identification. The fee covers a new biometric kiosk system that verifies a passenger's identity, allowing them to travel without ID for 10 days.

Understaffed airports across the US are now being assisted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The White House deployed ICE agents on Monday to help ease the staffing shortages caused by TSA officers who have quit or stopped showing up for work.