These US Airports Don't Have TSA

If you took a trip during the partial government shutdown in early 2026, you may have been stuck in long Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening lines for hours. Government TSA workers weren't getting paychecks during the shutdown, and some airports experienced major screening delays. However, some airports in the country didn't have these lines because they use private security companies instead of TSA employees. This may come as a surprise to most people, but there are 20 airports that use private security companies at the time of writing (as reported by CNN), including international airports like San Francisco International Airport, Orlando Sanford International Airport, and Kansas City International Airport. However, that doesn't mean these airports are necessarily less safe. 

The airports that use private security companies are still under federal oversight. They must meet TSA screening standards, use the same procedures as TSA employees, and, at the moment, the equipment is federally issued. In fact, you probably had no idea you weren't dealing with the TSA when flying through these airports. This is all through a program called the TSA's Screening Partnership Program (SPP). Through the SPP, private security firms can apply for airport contracts. As strange as this might sound, before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, all airport security was done through private firms. The TSA was created through the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) in 2001 in the aftermath of the attacks. However, certain airports continued to use private security operating under federal supervision through the SPP. 

While the equipment, training, and rules are the same as those for the TSA, private companies have been able to set workers' wages and the number of employees staffed. While not having TSA workers may not be that shocking for smaller airports like Sioux Falls Regional Airport in South Dakota or the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport in California, there are some larger ones on the list as well. Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey serves over a million customers per year, while Orlando Sanford International Airport had over 3 million passengers moving through in 2025. Not to mention, San Francisco International Airport had over 54 million passengers enplaning and deplaning in the same year. 

However, the way airports screen passengers may be about to change. There is a controversial new program called TSA Gold-Plus, launched in May 2026, which will allow private companies to use their own technology. This is voluntary for airports to opt into. The difference between the SPP and TSA Gold-Plus is that private firms would be responsible for the equipment used rather than the federal government, albeit with TSA oversight, according to NPR. You can find a list of all the airports that currently use private security rather than TSA agents here. Whichever airport you fly through, we have some good tips on the way to see which security line is the fastest. Finally, here are 11 must-know dos and don'ts for getting through airport security, according to the TSA.