I Flew Out of Houston IAH During the Government Shutdown. Here’s How I Cleared the TSA Line Quickly.

Weekend reports of multi-hour TSA lines snaking out of Houston airports ran rampant over the first weekend in November, with chaotic photos and videos flooding social media. For anyone traveling out of Houston this week, panic surely set in. I am filing this report from IAH, having cleared security today in just over 20 minutes.

I’ll review what exactly is causing delays at Houston’s airports, what it’s like on the ground today, and how you can best prepare if you have upcoming travels during the government shutdown.

What’s Going on at Houston’s Airports?

The Houston Airport System advised travelers that starting November 1, passengers transiting through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) should arrive early and expect extended wait times for security screening. On Saturday, November 1, IAH halved its operational TSA checkpoints from 6 to 3, with just terminals A and E serving passengers.

Passengers at both airports were initially advised to expect waits of 90 minutes, which quickly ballooned at IAH. On November 2, it surpassed 3 hours, with reports of passengers spending up to 7 hours in line, missing flights, spending the night at the airport, and having to rebook at their own expense.

Why is this happening? TSA agents are working without pay due to the government shutdown. Many Houston-area school districts have school holidays this week, which adds further strain to agents who are caregivers and travelers taking advantage of the quick break.

My Experience Flying From Terminal A on November 3, 2025

The flight I’m booked on (for November 3) was delayed by 3 hours on November 2, likely due to security delays, although it is currently tracking on time for today’s flight. With the reports and pictures of yesterday’s security lines snaking into the street, I was scared enough to get to the airport 6 1/2 hours ahead of my flight. Since the most chaotic scene appeared to be at Terminal E, I took my chances at Terminal A, which had 2 checkpoints open.

There was a clear division of TSA PreCheck passengers and those with TSA PreCheck through CLEAR being directed to the North screening, while regular CLEAR passengers were directed to the South. Standard passengers without membership in any security expediting programs could enter either standard screening line.

I entered the TSA PreCheck line at 10:33 a.m.

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Entering the line for Terminal A North screening.

By 10:44 a.m., I had already cleared the extended queue and entered the primary lane for TSA PreCheck. Without TSA PreCheck, the standard line began to snake onto itself at this stage. I was through the baggage and X-ray screening by 10:55 a.m., just over 20 minutes from when I entered the queue. When I asked people on the other side of security how long they had waited in line, most responded with “around 30 minutes,” meaning the standard line looked worse than it actually was — and it was nowhere near as long as the wait the previous day.

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TSA PreCheck at Terminal A North was a single lane, while regular screening snaked around.

As I filed this story from a workstation, I chatted with the passengers sitting with me to hear how long they had waited in line:

• The couple near me did not have TSA PreCheck and missed their domestic flight yesterday because the waits were 4 to 5 hours. They rebooked and arrived 6 hours early today then waited only 30 minutes.
• The man across from me spent 6 1/2 hours in the TSA PreCheck line yesterday, missed his international flight, spent the night in the terminal, and rebooked at his own expense. Since he was already airside, he didn’t need to clear security again today.
• The woman next to me missed her domestic flight yesterday due to waits of over 4 hours, rebooked at her own expense, and arrived today 8 hours ahead of her scheduled flight. She has TSA PreCheck through CLEAR and waited 15 minutes today.

Who Got Through the Line the Quickest?

The “clear” winner this morning at Terminal A was definitely anyone who had TSA PreCheck through CLEAR, as that line was empty. The CLEAR staff were strongly soliciting passengers in line and advising that they could sign up for a free 14-day trial, which took less than 5 minutes and could be used the same day.

Many credit cards offer a complimentary or discounted CLEAR membership as a benefit, which is clutch when that membership is your fast track through a monster line.

Terminal E Was Also Strained

I walked over to Terminal E, and while I could not see the pre-security lines, the active screening lanes were visibly reduced. When I chatted with passengers who had cleared standard security, they also mentioned their wait was about 30 minutes.

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A handful of lines were open at Terminal E.

Final Thoughts

The worst appears to be over at IAH … for now. The best advice remains to arrive early, be prepared for an extended wait, and be pleasantly surprised (and appreciative!) if you make it through quickly with minimal hassle. Based on the travelers I spoke with, airlines do not appear to be rebooking passengers who missed flights because of security delays, so following these steps may help you avoid having to pay for a new ticket on your own.

We always recommend purchasing your flight with a credit card that has trip delay or interruption coverage. This may cover your expenses if your flight is delayed by the airline, but it won’t help if you miss the flight due to not clearing security in a timely manner.