Are you seeing viral ‘hacks’ for skipping long TSA airport security lines? Here’s what works—and what doesn’t

Frustrated passengers are taking to social media as wait times spike amid staffing shortages. Here are some tips and tricks for getting through the chaos.

[Source Illustration: Freepik]

Some frustrated passengers are waiting hours in line at airports around the country, due to a stalemate over Department of Homeland Security funding, which has resulted in many TSA officers working without pay to walk off the job.

At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, lines were out the door earlier this week, according to the airport’s X account that posted this video of passengers waiting in the dark at 4:30 a.m.

And it gets worse. According to the Transportation Security Administration, many airports could “literally shut down . . . particularly smaller ones,” if TSA officers continue to call out instead of coming to work, CNN reported. While TSA can’t technically close an airport, the catch is, planes can’t take off without passengers and crews going through security.

But there is one hack many travelers are missing out on that could save them time and frustration: TSA PreCheck Touchless ID.

What is TSA PreCheck Touchless ID and how do I get it?

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, which is available in select airports for participating airlines (see below), uses facial recognition technology to verify your identity for faster processing. Its own dedicated lane often moves faster than regular TSA Precheck. Instead of showing your ID at security, TSA will scan your face (however, you must of course be comfortable with this).

Interested passengers must sign up before they check in for their flight. Here’s how to update your airline profile, according to TSA:

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