Is TSA PreCheck Open During the Government Shutdown? Here's What We Know

Travelers are asking if the TSA PreCheck is open during the government shutdown. The shutdown is due to the Department of Homeland Security's lack of funding. In February, Congress failed to pass the annual budget for the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, 2026, last February. Democrats insisted on changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies after two United States citizens were murdered by federal agents in Minneapolis, Minn., which the Republicans refuse to make, per CNN.

TSA PreCheck assists travelers who pay a fee to get through airport security more quickly by providing TSA PreCheck lanes. The lines are typically shorter than the main security lines at airports, and the screening process even lets you keep your shoes on. The fee is currently $85 for five years. So, are they open?

Yes, TSA PreCheck lanes are open during the government shutdown at most airports. However, airports are still advising travelers to arrive two, sometimes three hours before their flights. There is a TSA employee shortage because workers aren't being paid during the shutdown, and many have had to get second jobs to pay the bills or quit altogether. According to Homeland Security, at least 300 TSA agents have quit their jobs due to the government shutdown.

According to NBC News Chicago, airports became congested as spring break travelers began their vacations while thousands of flights were canceled amid recent storms dominating the eastern half of the country. Airports have lines as long as three hours in some cases, and in Austin, Texas, the line went out onto the sidewalk, despite it being 5:30 a.m.

The AFGE TSA Council 100 is the union representing TSA employees, and its Secretary and Treasurer, Johnny Jones, had some choice words for Congress and the shutdown.

"It seems like lawmakers are having a problem doing their job," he said, "which is passing a funding bill that would allow us to be paid. Congress should make sure that all the TSOs are protected."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) announced legislation on March 16 that would reopen DHS and pay TSA employees, but not provide any funding for ICE, per The Hill. A letter to House Dems read, "The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for more than 30 days because Donald Trump and Republican extremists refuse to get ICE under control," he wrote. “Meanwhile, hardworking employees of the TSA, CISA, Coast Guard, and FEMA have been forced to work without pay."

The local head of the American Federation of Government Employees, Aaron Barker, said that many TSA agents have received eviction notices, had their cars repossessed, and have no food in their refrigerators due to not receiving their paychecks for so long.

Aaron said that TSA employees "are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators, and overdrawn bank accounts. As he spoke, supporters held signs that read, "We want a paycheck, not a rain check.”