How To Spot The Fastest TSA Line At The Airport Every Time

When you're running late for your flight, the last thing you need are further delays and, as many of us have experienced, TSA lines can really be pretty unpredictable. This is especially true if you're traveling from the top worst airports in all of America for TSA wait times. Even when using our best judgment, looks can be deceiving, and shorter lines don't always translate to quicker security checks. 

There are a few travel hacks you can do ahead of your flight. One is to enroll in TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or services like CLEAR, which uses biometric data to verify a passenger's identity ultimately letting them skip the ID checkpoint ahead of security. At the time of publication, CLEAR is available at more than 60 airports around the world.

If you aren't enrolled in any sort of program to help you skip the line, there are still a few ways you can optimize your time. Pack your electronics and liquids in a way that makes them easily accessible when it's your turn to prep your bags at security. Wearing slip-on shoes and removing belts and jewelry ahead of time is also helpful. You may also want to take a look around to gauge how quickly travelers are moving. For example, families and those with disabilities often need a bit more time to go through the process.

Determining which TSA line is the fastest is less of an exact science and more of an educated guess, and brushing up on these 12 airport hacks that can help you zip through TSA will help you make the best judgment call. When making a split-second decision about which line to join, consider what's called the "left line advantage". Studies suggest that the line farthest left will be less crowded due to a tendency for people to favor the right side. 

Of course, shorter lines don't always translate to getting through security faster, so some discernment is needed. For example, a short line with families, elderly passengers, or inexperienced travelers might still take longer than a longer line with more seasoned travelers, like business travelers who often travel light and move quickly. Pay attention to the TSA agents, too. If you see more than one agent monitoring the x-ray machine, it could mean that one of them is a trainee and learning on the job.

Timing when you enter the TSA line is another tactic for getting through more quickly. While it might sound counterintuitive, heading to the lines too early could actually get you stuck in a bottleneck if multiple other flights are departing ahead of your own. Passengers who are about to miss their flights are sometimes moved to the front of the line, but that's a pretty risky strategy.