In a testament to the resilience of the U.S. airline industry, air travel has not only rebounded from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed pre-pandemic 2019 levels. As eager travelers prepare to visit family and friends this holiday season, airports are gearing up for a surge in activity not witnessed in years.
Commercial airlines are often busiest around the Thanksgiving and winter holidays, and with increasing demand for air travel, longer security wait times could present a major challenge for passengers. Knowing what to expect at TSA checkpoints will help travelers coordinate transportation, minimize disruptions, and even avoid missing flights.
Standard TSA Wait Times by Airport
During the 2022 holiday season (Thanksgiving week through the following Monday and the week before Christmas through the observed New Year’s Day), the average passenger waited just under 6 minutes in airport security lines; however, this number varied widely by airport. Perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the primary U.S. air travel hubs rank among the worst airports for wait times during the holidays. Notably:
- Three Florida airports ranked among the top 6 worst for wait times: Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) at 12.0 minutes, Orlando International Airport (MCO) at 9.2 minutes, and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) at 9.1 minutes.
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) had average wait times of 11.7 minutes (2nd worst) and 9.6 minutes (3rd worst) through standard TSA security, respectively.
- Denver International Airport (DEN) — a popular airport for connecting flights and a destination for visitors to the Rocky Mountains — had travelers waiting an average of 9.1 minutes through standard TSA lines.
On the other hand, San Antonio International Airport (SAT) reported the shortest holiday wait times at an average of just 1.4 minutes. And remarkably, some airports actually saw their wait times significantly decrease during the holiday season compared to the 2022 annual average. TSA wait times at Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, Connecticut dropped by 32.8% down to 2.8 minutes, while wait times at Kahului Airport (OGG) in Maui, Hawaii declined 29.8% over the holiday period.
The Impact of TSA PreCheck on Holiday Wait Times
The Sunday after Thanksgiving and Wednesday before Christmas had the longest waits through TSA. Image Credit: Upgraded Points
For travelers who are constrained in their choice of airport, acquiring TSA PreCheck is the most effective method to minimize wait times. During the 2022 holiday travel season, the average TSA PreCheck passenger experienced roughly one-third of the wait time compared to the typical standard passenger. Even the days with the worst TSA holiday wait times—the Sunday after Thanksgiving and the Wednesday before Christmas—wait times through TSA PreCheck lines are significantly shorter. The same can be said at the nation’s busiest airports: passengers with TSA PreCheck can expect to wait around 3 minutes or less.
The following is a full list of the worst security lines among major U.S. airports during the holidays. Researchers at Upgraded Points analyzed wait time data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Average wait times were calculated using data surrounding Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving week through the following Monday) and winter holidays (the week before Christmas through the observed New Year’s Day).
Photo Credit: Jason Schronce / Shutterstock
15. Eppley Airfield
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.0 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +5.7%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.9 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +22.0%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday
Photo Credit: Wichudapa / Shutterstock
14. Austin–Bergstrom International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.2 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +8.5%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 1.8 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +34.4%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Friday
Photo Credit: Brandon Jenner / Shutterstock
13. Salt Lake City International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.4 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +14.8%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.9 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +0.7%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
12. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.4 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +15.4%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.6 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +4.4%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday
Photo Credit: Valentin Valkov / Shutterstock
11. Dallas Love Field
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.6 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): -7.8%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.1 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +6.1%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Sunday
Photo Credit: Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock
10. Charleston International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.6 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +21.9%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 3.2 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +14.9%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
9. Indianapolis International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.9 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +19.5%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.6 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +7.6%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday
Photo Credit: LHBLLC / Shutterstock
8. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 8.7 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +9.7%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 1.9 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +5.4%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday
Photo Credit: FromAbove / Shutterstock
7. San Diego International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 8.8 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +7.9%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.1 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +3.4%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday
Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock
6. Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.1 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +11.2%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 3.0 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +26.0%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Friday
Photo Credit: Arina P Habich / Shutterstock
5. Denver International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.1 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +21.5%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.4 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +22.1%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
4. Orlando International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.2 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +10.7%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.5 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): -1.4%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday
Photo Credit: Xavier Marchant / Shutterstock
3. John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.6 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +16.0%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 1.8 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +26.6%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday
Photo Credit: Paparacy / Shutterstock
2. Newark Liberty International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 11.7 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +25.1%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.5 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +20.1%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Monday
Photo Credit: Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock
1. Jacksonville International Airport
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 12.0 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +28.6%
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 3.8 minutes
- Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +40.6%
- Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday
Methodology
Photo Credit: Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock
The data in this analysis was obtained from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). To determine the airports with the worst security lines over the holidays, researchers at Upgraded Points calculated the average wait time at standard TSA checkpoints for all major U.S. airports during the 2022 holiday season. The Thanksgiving holiday was defined as November 17, 2022 through November 28, 2022, and the Winter holiday was considered to be December 17, 2022 through January 3, 2023. Researchers also calculated the average wait time at TSA PreCheck security checkpoints and the percentage change for both standard and PreCheck wait times compared to usual, where the usual wait time was calculated during January 4, 2022 through January 3, 2023 for consistency.
For complete results, see Airports With the Worst Security Lines Over the Holidays on Upgraded Points.
