TSA Pre Check and Global Entry suspended **Post # 29 apparent update --

[sam_gordon]

If you actually read the announcement, it says they’re not shutting it down until 6 PM tonight. So your experience this morning is irrelevant.

I'm, the announcement says 6AM today. Right when I was going through TSA.

 

[Brian Noble]

(And, the linked DHS announcement does suggest that WaPo and NBC did not get it wrong.)

Edited to add: probably should have quoted it, because the DHS announcmeent has been edited since my original note here.

 

[sam_gordon]

A travel newsletter I get weekly, Johnny Jet, advises...........

My advice to beat the long security lines, other than showing up to the airport super early, is to sign up for the private expedited service CLEAR. You can even do it at the airport (again, you’ll have to show up early) but it’s best to enroll in advance from home.


https://johnnyjet.com/the-departmen...heck-global-entry-making-travel-more-chaotic/

But Clear (aside from costing MORE) just dumps you at the Pre ID check.

 

[gottalovepluto]

But Clear (aside from costing MORE) just dumps you at the Pre ID check.

Clear dumps you at the front of the ID line for whatever security you are doing. Whether or not it's actually quicker than waiting in the normal ID check line varies day by day.

Concur no way would I pay cash for Clear but it might come in handy through this situation. With so many premium cc giving it away for free it gets busy- and during holidays the waits can be longer than normal ID check waits lol.

 

[CarolynFH]

Here’s a copy and paste from the announcement with bolding added by me - it seems to me that TSA PreCheck should be having normal operations:

TSA 
As the Transportation Security Administration enters emergency operating status, resources are being consolidated to prioritize essential security operations and focus personnel on detecting and countering threats.

• Effective at 6:00 a.m. on February 22, nonessential privileges and courtesies provided by TSA will be suspended. All courtesy escorts, including for members of Congress, will cease. These escorts put increased strain on our officers, who must be allowed to prioritize their critical work of screening passengers. 
• At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly. Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies.

Until funding is restored, all travelers should expect a process that does not sacrifice security.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Here’s a copy and paste from the announcement with bolding added by me - it seems to me that TSA PreCheck should be having normal operations:

TSA 
As the Transportation Security Administration enters emergency operating status, resources are being consolidated to prioritize essential security operations and focus personnel on detecting and countering threats.

• Effective at 6:00 a.m. on February 22, nonessential privileges and courtesies provided by TSA will be suspended. All courtesy escorts, including for members of Congress, will cease. These escorts put increased strain on our officers, who must be allowed to prioritize their critical work of screening passengers. 
• At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly. Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies.

Until funding is restored, all travelers should expect a process that does not sacrifice security.

They reversed course around an hour ago apparently LOLOLOLOL

I don’t have enough popcorn on hand for this mornings drama

 

[sam_gordon]

Clear dumps you at the front of the ID line for whatever security you are doing. Whether or not it's actually quicker than waiting in the normal ID check line varies day by day.

Concur no way would I pay cash for Clear but it might come in handy through this situation. With so many premium cc giving it away for free it gets busy- and during holidays the waits can be longer than normal ID check waits lol.

I travel about a dozen or so times a year over the last 3 years. I think there's been 2-3 times when Clear would have saved me minutes.

 

[CarolynFH]

I travel about a dozen or so times a year over the last 3 years. I think there's been 2-3 times when Clear would have saved me minutes.

On our flights earlier this month, we were happy to see that the Clear folks at Houston Bush finally had separate ID check agents from the PreCheck line. MCO wasn’t as enlightened, and we had to endure multiple Clear passengers busting into “our” PreCheck line. I’m not sure how much time the Clear passengers saved, though.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Does appear they changed their mind to a degree.

TSA 
As the Transportation Security Administration enters emergency operating status, resources are being consolidated to prioritize essential security operations and focus personnel on detecting and countering threats.

• Effective at 6:00 a.m. on February 22, nonessential privileges and courtesies provided by TSA will be suspended. All courtesy escorts, including for members of Congress, will cease. These escorts put increased strain on our officers, who must be allowed to prioritize their critical work of screening passengers. 

• At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly. Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies.

Until funding is restored, all travelers should expect a process that does not sacrifice security. 
CBP  
As of 6:00 am on February 22, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations will halt all Global Entry arrival processing at participating airports.  

• Officers assigned to process Global Entry travelers will be re-assigned to process all other arriving travelers.   

• U.S. citizens and lawful permanent resident Global Entry Members can proceed to the properly marked primary processing lanes for arriving U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. All other Global Entry members can proceed to the properly marked visitor lanes.   

CBP will also be suspending requests for port courtesies for members of Congress at all ports of entry to include escorts and tours in order for personnel to be reassigned to essential border security operations.

 

[Brian Noble]

Suspending Global Entry is still not great from an efficiency perspective, unless the general lines are able to use the same facial recognition mechanism that the kiosks use.

 

[hardcorestitch]

At this point… just prepare to be late… by going early at least double or triple what you normally would…

 

[sam_gordon]

At this point… just prepare to be late… by going early at least double or triple what you normally would…

Why? So you're suggesting showing up 4-6 hours before a flight?

 

[hardcorestitch]

Why? So you're suggesting showing up 4-6 hours before a flight?

3-4 is fair…

 

[sam_gordon]

3-4 is fair…

Why? MCO current times are less than 30 minutes.
ATL is less than 20
JFK is less than 30
DFW has a couple that are 35-40 min, the rest less than 20.

So why are you recommending 3-4 hours?

 

[hardcorestitch]

Why? MCO current times are less than 30 minutes.
ATL is less than 20
JFK is less than 30
DFW has a couple that are 35-40 min, the rest less than 20.

So why are you recommending 3-4 hours?

The uncertainty of reduced staff is why…

 

[sam_gordon]

The uncertainty of reduced staff is why…

But there hasn't been reports of reduced staff, at least that I've seen. The current posted wait times aren't supporting it either.

How about "Check your airports website to see if they're recommending showing up earlier than normal."?

That should be the advice any time.

I'm one who would rather be sitting at the airport for an hour "just in case", but suggesting showing up 3-4 hours ahead of time as a general rule is fear mongering.

It also depends on your departure airport, what day you're flying, and what time you're flying.

 

[CarolynFH]

I went through security with TSA PreCheck at Houston Bush on Tuesday and New Orleans today, and it moved fast in both places. The Houston Bush app is showing normal times in all lines, less than 10 minutes. If there are slowdowns, they aren’t in those airports.

I agree with checking the specific airport’s website or app on your departure day.

 

[VGCgroupie]

We went through LGB on 02/24 no delays.

 

[Genie+]

But Clear (aside from costing MORE) just dumps you at the Pre ID check.

We have TSA pre-check and added Clear about 2 years ago.

We go to the Clear terminals at the right of Pre-check. So far never had to wait as agents and machines were available. They take our picture and documents, then they go to the pre-check security desk to cut us to the front, and we are ushered right through into the body/luggage screening area.

Not sure if it would work differently if I didn’t also have pre-check.

 

[CarolynFH]

They take our picture and documents, then they go to the pre-check security desk to cut us to the front,

I was happy at Houston Bush the other day to see that Clear has their own security ID check desks now. No more cutting in front of us ordinary PreCheck folks there! (But now I have Touchless ID, and that is smooth!)