You arrive at the airport and discover that the line of people waiting to clear security is very, very long. With your flight boarding in less than an hour, you start to panic and regret not arriving sooner.
If that scenario sounds familiar, you're not alone. Even at smaller airports, security lines at peak times can seem to go farther than the eye can see. Knowing what to expect can help you plan your arrival at the airport and avoid missing your flight.
NOT ALL WAIT TIMES ARE CREATED EQUAL
A recent analysis of data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) found that wait times vary considerably.
The WSJ ranked America's top 20 airports on over a dozen factors, including "the percentage of travelers who wait less than 15 minutes in standard TSA Lines."
The analysis found that Florida's Miami (MIA) airport was in the best position, with all passengers clearing security within 15 minutes during the analyzed period. Other top five performers were in Los Angeles, CA (LAX), Detroit, MI (DTW), Boston, MA (BOS) and in Houston TX (IAH), at 97%.
On the not-so-positive side of the rankings was Denver, CO (DEN), where just 57% of passengers cleared security within 15 minutes. Other airports in the bottom five were two of New York's airports, Kennedy (JFK) and Newark (EWR), along with San Francisco, CA (SFO), and at 81%, Seattle, WA (SEA).
GETTING THROUGH SECURITY FAST
TSA PreCheck members typically clear airport security through separate lanes. Benefits include leaving your shoes, belts, and jackets on, plus leaving your laptops and liquids in your carry-on bag. You also usually bypass the slower, millimeter wave scanner and walk through a standard metal detector.
A five-year TSA PreCheck membership ranges in price from free to $78, depending on airline status and credit card benefits. TSA PreCheck is included with Global Entry memberships.
According to the TSA, "in January 2023, 92% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes" in line.
GETTING THROUGH SECURITY EVEN FASTER
For the fastest movement possible through the entire security process, stack a CLEAR membership on top of your TSA PreCheck membership. CLEAR grants members a "quicker identify verification process before physical security." Pricing for CLEAR membership ranges from free to $189, depending on airline status and credit card benefits.
Additionally, CLEAR members can use the CLEAR app's home-to-gate feature, which "integrates traffic data, security screening, terminal walking times, and more" to suggest when to leave for the airport.
