UPDATE: See TSA wait times for Florida airports Monday, March 16.
Roughly 50,000 TSA officers are working without regular pay Sunday, March 15, as spring break travel ramps up and the ongoing partial federal government shutdown continues.
Congress failed to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in mid‑February. On March 13, TSA officers missed their first full paycheck after receiving partial paychecks on Feb. 28.
“Numerous employees have reported to me that their bank accounts are at zero or negative,” Johnny Jones, Secretary-Treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100 and a Dallas-based TSA worker, told USA TODAY.
At major airports nationwide, including Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta and Houston’s Hobby Airport, TSA checkpoint lines stretched past an hour, with some waits exceeding three hours last weekend.
Most airports across Florida continue to report TSA checkpoint wait times under 15 minutes, even as more TSA officers nationwide have resigned or called in sick. However, travelers at major hubs, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Miami, and Tampa, may experience slightly longer delays during peak travel periods.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) prepared for a busy travel weekend, with airport officials expecting more than 600,000 passengers to pass through.
However, an MCO official said in an email that the airport has “not seen a dramatic decrease in the number of TSA agents processing passengers.”
“MCO’s security checkpoint times may tick upward due to the heavy volume of passengers during this spring break period,” Angela Starke, Vice President of MCO Public Affairs, wrote. “The airport expects to have a record number of passengers this weekend. We are asking passengers to arrive at the airport three hours in advance of their flight and to be at the security checkpoint two hours before departure time.”
MCO said in a release that some of the busiest travel days are coming up:
How to donate to unpaid TSA officers in Orlando, Florida
MCO is also hosting a food drive to support TSA officers impacted by the temporary loss of paychecks. Airport officials are asking for donations of nonperishable food items, cleaning and laundry supplies, diapers, pet supplies, and gas or grocery store gift cards. Donations can be brought to:
What are the current wait times at Florida airports?
As of Sunday morning, here are the estimated security wait times for Florida airports according to the airports and TSA. Note that TSA estimates may not be current due to the shutdown when the MyTSA app is not updated:
Wait times will be shorter for travelers with TSA PreCheck, or for families or military members using dedicated lines, where available.
How to check TSA wait times
Need to know when to be at the airport? There are a few ways to monitor TSA lines in real time.
How much do TSA agents make in Florida, U.S.?
TSA pay varies depending on location. For example, higher-cost metro areas pay more than smaller or rural markets.
Pay varies further by experience and tenure, as government employees receive increases based on federal pay bands and step increases. Working overtime, night shifts and holidays also increases pay above base averages.
Wage average for TSA officers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
United States (national averages)
Florida (state averages)
Why is TSA not getting paid?
The TSA staffing crunch comes during a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration. DHS funding lapsed Feb. 13 after Congress failed to agree on immigration enforcement reforms demanded by Democrats, leaving roughly 50,000 airport security screeners working without pay.
Many TSA employees are still recovering from the last two government shutdowns in 2025. TSA Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told Congress this month that about 1,110 TSA officers left the agency in October and November 2025, a more than 25% increase from the same time period the year before.
Contributing: N’dea Yancey-Bragg, Bart Jansen, Irene Wright, Zach Wichter, USA TODAY
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida airport TSA wait times Sunday as spring break travel ramps up
Reporting by Ashley Ferrer, Kim Luciani and C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
