Travelers through Chicago airports could see longer wait times at security checkpoints this spring break season.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration, is in the midst of a closure that’s impacting airports throughout the country.
Here’s what the shutdown means for your upcoming travel plans in and out of Chicago.
Longer wait times at U.S. airports amid partial government shutdown
Numerous U.S. airports have been hit by extended TSA wait times in recent days due to the partial government shutdown affecting Homeland Security.
Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans saw TSA waits up to 3 hours long Monday morning, according to a report from CNN.
What to know before you head to O’Hare or Midway
With the shutdown ongoing, Chicagoans are left wondering if O’Hare and Midway could be impacted by delays next.
As of Monday, TSA wait times at O’Hare and Midway ranged from 15 to 30 minutes according to the MyTSA app, signaling typical wait times at both airports.
However, with a resolution to the shutdown still up in the air, travelers could still encounter delays in the coming days.
Here are a few tips to ensure your spring break travel experience goes smoothly:
- Arrive early
- while the typical advice is to arrive at the airport 2 hours before your flight takes off, you may want to consider arriving even earlier should delays arise
- Make sure you have your REAL ID
- Travelers must now present a REAL ID, valid U.S. passport, or other form off accepted identification to pass through TSA.
- Travelers without a REAL ID may be subject to a lengthy screening process to verify their identity, which can cause security delays overall.
- To ensure a speedy security screening, be sure you obtain a REAL ID before you fly.
- Check the Chicago Department of Aviation’s (CDA) Fly Chicago tool
- The Fly Chicago site from the CDA offers real-time updates on delays at O’Hare and Midway.
