Travelers across the US faced longer than usual security lines this week.Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images Airport security checkpoints in the US are under pressure due to the partial government shutdown.Many now-unpaid TSA agents are skipping work or even quitting, causing long lines and wait times.Here's the latest on TSA delays, and how to check wait times before you travel.If there's anything that can bring Americans together to demand government action, it's long lines at airport security. Those lines continued to grow on Sunday and remained in some places on Monday as a partial government shutdown left the Department of Homeland Security and its Transportation Security Administration unfunded and their agents unpaid at the height of the spring break travel season. Airports are now telling passengers to arrive up to three hours early to clear security in time for their flights. The TSA on Sunday called on Congress to resolve the impasse over the immigration enforcement policies that have left the DHS unfunded for a month. The agency said hundreds of unpaid agents have quit. "3+ hour TSA lines for travelers. 300+ TSA officers who have quit. A $0 paycheck for those continuing to serve. Enough is enough," the agency said in an X post on Saturday. A group of airline CEOs also sent a letter to Congress on Saturday calling on Republicans and Democrats to figure it out. "Americans —who live in your districts and home states — are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays, and flight cancellations caused by shutdown after shutdown," the letter, which was signed by the CEOs of Delta, United, American, JetBlue, and others, says. By Monday, lengthy lines were still present at several airports, though they had calmed at some locations that had seen long lines over the weekend, and some improved throughout the day. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest by passenger numbers, saw lines close to two hours over the weekend. By Monday evening, the wait time was under 15 minutes. In an X post, the airport encouraged travelers to allow extra time for screening and to arrive at least 3 hours before their flight. Many flights are also facing lengthy delays or cancellations due to a thunderstorm. Please continue to monitor our official social channels for any additional information. Safe travels. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/OeVL0rMoOP — Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) March 16, 2026 Just before 7 a.m. local time on Monday, lines at Terminal C in Newark Airport were over 40 minutes, while lines at two of JFK's terminals exceeded 30 minutes. By Monday evening, the wait at Newark's Terminal C was just over 25 minutes, while the max wait at JFK was more than 30 minutes. At Dallas-Fort Worth, as of Monday evening, only four security checkpoints still had waits up to 20 minutes, while most were 10 minutes or less. Austin-Bergstrom International was one of the worst-affected airports over the weekend, due in part to an influx of travelers for the SXSW festival. Photos and videos shared by travelers over the weekend showed lines stretching from the terminal building into the parking lot. Those lines persisted early on Monday morning, but by just before 6 a.m. local time, lines had abated, according to the airport's X account. The morning rush is over! We’re expecting normal lines for the rest of the day & if anything changes, we’ll be sure to share here. For tomorrow, about 32,000 people will fly out, which isn’t record-breaking busy but that’s busier-than-normal for a Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/pzDm0vmc9i — Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (@AustinAirport) March 16, 2026 While lines had modulated somewhat, many airports were still telling passengers to leave more time than usual to clear security on Monday. Dallas-Fort Worth Airport told travelers to allow at least 2 hours for domestic flights, while Austin advised leaving 2.5 to 3 hours. How to check wait timesTravelers wait in line at New York's LaGuardia airport.Cadie Thompson/Business Insider The easiest way to avoid the stress of missing your flight is to arrive as early as you can. Many airports are advising travelers this week to arrive up to three hours before their flight. To check TSA wait times, many airports, including major hubs like Atlanta, Houston, JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Denver, post them live on their websites. These can also provide more specific insights. For example, DFW's website shows the wait times at each checkpoint. While broadly reliable, some airport websites aren't always accurate. On Monday morning, Atlanta Airport said the feature was "currently unavailable due to a technical issue," although it was later fixed. You can also use the MyTSA mobile app. It provides estimated wait times in 15-minute intervals based on average checkpoint data. The app, however, will use historical data if the live data cannot be retrieved. The TSA also says it is not "actively" managing its sites during the partial shutdown, and so the app may not always be updated. Read the original article on Business Insider