What TSA lines are like at Charlotte's airport amid the partial government shutdown
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TSA checkpoints at CLT on Tuesday morning around 6:45am. Photo: Courtesy of Bryan Holladay
As the partial federal government shutdown continues and passengers face lengthy TSA screening wait times, travelers appear to have been spared the headache of long security lines at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Why it matters: CLT has long drawn sharp criticism and faced travelers' frustration in the past because of congestion stemming from airport construction. Now that construction on its terminal lobby is complete, travelers say they are, at least for now, experiencing a modernized space and speedy security screenings — despite a shortage of TSA agents.
The big picture: It's not the TSA line that's long at CLT. It's lines for Starbucks and Chick-fil-A once you get through security that passengers say they have to wait in.
State of play: More than a dozen Axios Charlotte readers responded to our newsletter callout asking about their recent experience traveling through CLT.
- None of them experienced long security lines in Charlotte in recent weeks — and that included both passengers using standard screening and TSA PreCheck.
What they're saying: Traveler Bryan Holladay tells Axios he made it through security Tuesday morning around 6:45am in under five minutes. He sent us that email from the line for Starbucks, which was more than 30 minutes.
Between the lines: With viral videos of long lines at airports all over the internet, it's hard to know what's accurate and what to expect when you head to the airport. Traveler Henry Brown tells Axios he was expecting a mess when he went to the airport last Friday. Instead, it was the fastest he's ever made it through security at CLT.
Zoom in: One tip travelers say they're using to prepare for CLT is the airport's app and website, which show updated security wait times.
- Another feature passengers raved about was the new option for TSA PreCheck touchless ID. "Last week I flew to Mexico and this week to Amsterdam. Gratefully got the security in fewer than 10 (minutes) both times," traveler Elizabeth Kiser tells Axios. "Highly recommend touchless screening, which you can do on the American Airlines app."
What we're watching: The Trump administration sent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist with TSA operations at some airports to address lengthy screening delays.
- The Department of Homeland Security declined to confirm the locations of its officers, and CLT officials are not aware of "ICE agents being deployed" locally, an airport spokesperson tells Axios.