Air Travel is luxurious and amazing on board, but the struggle begins at the airport, facing several problems from entering the airport to boarding the flight. One of the common problems faced by passengers is waiting at the airport for the security check. Waiting in the security check line is exhausting, but it gets less exhausting when you know the estimated or average wait times at the airport. Considering this, we have drafted this detailed article, which provides information about the average TSA Wait Times at U.S. Airports in 2025.
List of Average TSA Wait Times at the U.S. Airports
Here’s a full list of average TSA Wait Times available at the U.S. airports.
| Name of the Airport | Average Wait Time |
|---|---|
| Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) | 0 to 32 minutes |
| Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | 15-16 minutes |
| Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) | 5-6 minutes |
| Boise Airport (BOI) | under 30 minutes |
| Bradley International Airport (BDL) | 30 minutes |
| Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) | 12 minutes |
| Charleston International Airport (CHS) | under 10 minutes |
| Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) | 13-16 minutes |
| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) | under 20 minutes |
| Dallas Love Field (DAL) | 7.6 minutes |
| Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) | 15 minutes |
| Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) | 20.5 minutes |
| Denver International Airport (DEN) | 5 to 30 minutes |
| Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) | 17 minutes |
| Dulles International Airport (IAD) | 10-16 minutes |
| Eppley Airfield (OMA) | 5-15 minutes |
| Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) | 15 minutes-25 minutes |
| General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport | 10.6 minutes |
| George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | 14 minutes |
| Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) | 4-14 minutes |
| Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) | 17 to 26 minutes |
| Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) | 0-20 minutes |
| Indianapolis International Airport (IND) | 2-20 minutes |
| Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) | 1-2 minutes |
| John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | 30-35 minutes |
| John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) | under 15 minutes |
| John Wayne Airport (SNA) | 9 minutes |
| Kahului Airport (OGG) | 15-20 minutes |
| Kansas City International Airport (MCI) | 5 minutes |
| LaGuardia Airport (LGA) | 17-20 minutes |
| Logan International Airport (BOS) | 10-28 minutes |
| Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) | 15-20 minutes |
| Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) | 15 minutes |
| Midway International Airport (MDW) | 9-10 minutes |
| Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) | 10-20 minutes |
| Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) | 20-25 minutes |
| Nashville International Airport (BNA) | 0 to 30 minutes |
| Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) | 15 to 45 minutes |
| Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) | 9 minutes, |
| O’Hare International Airport (ORD) | 15 minutes |
| Oakland International Airport (OAK) | 6 minutes |
| Ontario International Airport (ONT) | 15-30 minutes |
| Orlando International Airport (MCO) | 18 minutes |
| Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) | 5 minutes |
| Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) | 10-20 minutes |
| Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) | 20-28 minutes |
| Portland International Airport (PDX) | under 20 minutes |
| Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) | less than 30 minutes |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) | 9 minutes |
| Sacramento International Airport (SMF) | 10-30 minutes |
| Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) | 11 minutes and 18 seconds |
| San Antonio International Airport (SAT) | 6 minutes |
| San Diego International Airport (SAN) | 5-10 minutes |
| San Francisco International Airport (SFO) | 20 minutes or more |
| Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) | 25-26 minutes |
| Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) | 0-33 minutes |
| St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) | 10 minutes |
| Tampa International Airport (TPA) | 16 minutes |
| Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) | 0-30 minutes |
| William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) | 15-20 minutes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Salt Lake City International (SLC), Washington Dulles International (IAD), and Boston Logan International (BOS) are often cited for relatively short wait times.
Several U.S. airports are known for having long average TSA security wait times, including Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and Orlando International Airport (MCO). Miami International Airport (MIA), O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) are also included.
People have most of the complaints about the TSA at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Denver International Airport (DEN) is well-regarded for its strict security protocols, partly due to the implementation of new screening technologies.
As a reminder, TSA recommends arriving at the airport at least two hours before domestic flights are scheduled to depart and at least three hours before international flights depart.
Yes, there are several new TSA rules and changes. The most prominent change is the REAL ID enforcement, which means that unless you have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of identification (like a passport), you won’t be able to board domestic flights
TSA PreCheck costs and their application fees as of 2025 are: Idemia: $76.75. Telos: $85. CLEAR: $77.85.
Submit your TSA PreCheck application online in as little as 5 minutes.
TSA lines are long due to a combination of factors, including increased passenger volume, particularly during peak travel times, and staffing shortages, which limit the number of security lanes available.
No, TSA PreCheck is not free for seniors. The standard application fee of $78 for a five-year membership applies to all applicants, regardless of age.