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Standing in a long airport security line while precious minutes tick away before your flight is bad. But it’s even worse when the line catches you off-guard.
Sure, this is where line-skipping programs like Clear and TSA PreCheck can be a lifesaver, offering critical time savings at security checkpoints.
But the Transportation Security Administration also offers another way to plan ahead and predict your security wait time, right on your smartphone.
And after being offline for months during the two recent government shutdowns, the app is up and running again.
Read more: Ways to get free or discounted TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear
The MyTSA app
The MyTSA app is free to download.
It displays current security wait times at checkpoints across the country. Plus, it predicts future wait times in the terminal you’ll be visiting — down to the day and hour.
How to use the TSA app
When you log in, you’ll see a screen like the one below. It displays your closest airport and its current wait times. For instance, at the time of writing, I was near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and I could see that wait times were between 15 and 30 minutes.
You can also add airports — such as the one closest to your home — to a list as a “favorite.” In my case, that’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina. Wait times, as I searched, were less than 15 minutes. You can check live wait times at any airport across the country.
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This app also shows whether a Federal Aviation Administration delay program is happening; this may not greatly affect security wait times, but it likely means flight delays are widespread.
Estimating future wait times
The TSA app can also help you plan how early to get to the airport by showing estimated future wait times based on past data.
Let’s say you’re planning to fly out of LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in the morning on a Friday — often the busiest travel day of the week. You could use the app to see what the TSA checkpoints at LaGuardia are typically like between 6 and 7 a.m. on a Friday.
I saw that waits are often 15 to 30 minutes during that time, with longer waits later in the afternoon.
Keep in mind that if you have TSA PreCheck, your wait will almost certainly be shorter. As the app points out, most TSA PreCheck passengers (nationwide) typically wait five minutes or less.
TPG’s tracker: Better yet, try out TPG’s new tool for tracking TSA wait times!
Checking 3-1-1 compliance
The app doesn’t just help you plan how early to get to the airport.
You can use it to double-check whether the items in your carry-on bag comply with the agency’s rules for liquids and prohibited items.
After my electric razor recently died, I felt compelled to double-check whether disposable razors are allowed in carry-on bags. I typed it into the search bar on the app and saw that I was clear to bring one.
On the other hand, if you search for “peanut butter,” you’ll find that this is prohibited in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces. So, it would have to go in your checked bag.
Government shutdown warning
Just remember: In the (all too common) event of a government shutdown, the app generally doesn’t get updated and isn’t reliable. In that case, you have to rely on alternative sources of information, such as trackers or social media feeds from your airport.
Bottom line
Planning ahead is critical when it comes to air travel. The MyTSA app can help you see what security screening waits may lie ahead — among other useful features.
Enrolling in time-saving programs like Clear and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (and making use of application fee reimbursements offered by some travel credit cards) can also make the trip through security more predictable.
Finally, TSA PreCheck members should remember to enroll in the ultrafast TSA PreCheck Touchless ID program, now available at more than 60 airports nationwide. Accessing these lanes doesn’t cost extra, but does require pre-registration.
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