US Airports With the Longest, Shortest TSA Wait Times
The Best and Worst US Airports for a Speedy Security Screening
Getting through security can be one of the biggest hassles of flying as passenger volumes return to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Arriving early is one solution but, regardless, some airports are well-suited to process passengers at the checkpoint in a timely fashion. Some airports are a breeze while others struggle to limit long lines.
The team of travel experts at Bounce recently analyzed data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs & Border Protection to determine the U.S. airports with the shortest and longest wait times on average.
The overall rankings of 39 airports consider both the average time travelers spend in line at the security checkpoint and how long it typically takes for passengers to navigate passport control. Here’s a look at the best and worst nationwide strictly when it comes to security wait times.
Newark Liberty International Airport
With an average security wait time of just five minutes and 18 seconds, Newark Liberty International Airport is the quickest in the nation, based on Bounce’s research. Nonetheless, Newark has some room for improvement when it comes to passport control wait times, averaging 14 minutes and 28 seconds.
Ontario International Airport
Southern California’s Ontario International Airport ranks as the second-fastest in the country with an average security wait time of only six minutes and 18 seconds. Similar to Newark, Ontario has a more lengthy average passport control wait time of nearly 20 minutes.
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Kentucky’s Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is in a four-way tie for the third-shortest security wait time at eight minutes and 18 seconds. However, with an average passport control wait time of only 11 minutes and 32 seconds, the airport’s combined average still comes in at under 20 minutes, giving it a slight advantage.
San Antonio International Airport
San Antonio International Airport’s average security wait time also clocks in at 8:18, but its average passport control wait time of 14 minutes and 18 seconds is better than the other two third-place airports.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Another popular Texas airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport gets travelers through security in just over eight minutes on average and has a combined wait time (factoring in the average passport control wait time) of just over 23 minutes.
Sacramento International Airport
Sacramento International Airport is also tied for third with an average security wait time of eight minutes and 18 seconds but loses the tiebreaker when you consider the airport’s average passport control wait time of 15 minutes and 51 seconds.
Palm Beach International Airport
Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport is easily the most sluggish of the 39 airports Bounce ranked, with an average security wait time of 36 minutes and 18 seconds. To put that figure in perspective, the average checkpoint wait time at Newark Liberty International Airport is roughly seven times faster.
St Louis Lambert International Airport
In the Midwest, St. Louis Lambert International Airport is the nation’s second-worst for long waits at security but fares significantly better than Palm Beach at 28 minutes and 48 seconds on average. St. Louis overtakes Palm Beach in terms of the combined total, however, reporting an average passport control wait time of 10 minutes and 29 seconds compared to just 2:24 for Palm Beach.
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is close behind St. Louis with an average security wait time of 27 minutes and 48 seconds. Additionally, an average passport control wait time of 18 minutes and eight seconds gives it the third-highest average combined wait time of the 39 airports analyzed.
John F Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport presents the longest security wait for travelers flying out of New York City at 25 minutes on average. An average passport control wait time of just under 20 minutes gives JFK a combined average of nearly 45 minutes, which is the fourth-slowest nationwide.
Daniel K Inouye International Airport
Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport ties JFK with an average security wait time of 25 minutes. However, Honolulu’s passport control wait time comes in at just 8:14 on average, helping it to the middle of the pack in terms of combined wait time.