These Are The Absolute Worst Airports For Long Security Lines In The US In 2026

While some travelers like to get to the airport as close to their flight time as possible, there are some airports where this is a terrible idea. Luckily, UpgradedPoints has put together a study identifying the absolute worst airports for long security lines in the United States in 2026.

UpgradedPoints created the list by identifying the 25 busiest airports in the U.S. and calculating average wait times, using data published by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The study notes that UpgradedPoints collected the data in late spring 2026. While wait times can be unavoidable due to busy travel seasons or poor management, there are some things you can do to decrease your own time in line.

The most common way to cut down your time in security is to arrive at the airport with TSA PreCheck or CLEAR, which may help you get through the line more quickly. TSA PreCheck allows you to skip removing clothing items, such as belts or jackets, as well as removing electronics or liquids from your bags. On the other hand, CLEAR helps fast track you through ID checks. There are separate lines for travelers with these verifications, and they are often shorter. Above all, make sure everything you bring is in compliance with current TSA guidelines to help save you time and stress. Regardless of what verifications you have or how you pack, make sure to arrive early if you're departing from any of these five airports in 2026.

With an average wait time of 17.3 minutes, Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) comes in fifth place on the list. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this airport is the eighth busiest in the country and transports millions of travelers year-round. Though this famous desert city didn't always make "best of" lists, today it's a premier destination for both domestic and international travelers looking to let their hair down by gambling, watching a show, shopping, or relaxing poolside.

However, the neon lights have slightly dimmed as of late, with a 6% decrease in traffic from 2024 to 2025. Additionally, there was an 11.3% decrease in visitors in June of 2026, compared to June 2025. Due to economic uncertainty, Americans are tightening their belts, meaning there's less discretionary spending to go around, including trips to Sin City. You would think with the decrease in travelers, wait times would improve. Unfortunately, the lines at LAS are not getting any shorter. In the aftermath of the government shutdown of 2026, there are TSA staffing shortages all over the country, which have increased security wait times.

With that said, there are ways to skirt the long lines at LAS. If you're able, plan your travel on a Tuesday evening and arrive between 6 and 7 p.m. to go through security — this is when wait times are the shortest, at around seven minutes. Avoid Sunday mornings, as you might be waiting more than half an hour to get through security. You can also use this tool on Harry Reid International's website, which provides live estimated wait times for security in each terminal.

In fourth place on the list is Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), with an average wait time of 18.2 minutes. Located 10 miles south of downtown Baltimore, BWI is 32 miles from the nation's capital of Washington, D.C. For some travelers, BWI airport might seem like a good alternative to the busier Washington Dulles International (IAD). While IAD is about 28 miles from the capital, the airport sees about 1.5 million more travelers than BWI annually. IAD is also only getting busier each year, with a 6.59% increase in travelers from 2024 to 2025, whereas BWI decreased by 7% in the same period.

However, even with fewer travelers, the excess wait times at BWI persist, and there doesn't seem to be much of a payoff by switching airports. In fact, according to the UpgradedPoints study, IAD has the second best wait times in the country, with just a 10.5-minute average wait time, second only to Salt Lake City International. So, unless you're planning to visit Baltimore, it may be best to stick with IAD if you want to spend less time in security lines.

If in fact you are traveling to and from Baltimore — including a visit to its vibrant arts district — the best time to travel out of BWI is late in the evening on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday from 10 to 11 p.m. On these days and at these hours, security only takes about two minutes on average. Avoid booking your flight on a Monday in the late afternoon, from 2 to 3 p.m., when you might find yourself waiting for up to 35 minutes. You can check real time security wait times on BWI's website, although some Redditors doubt the accuracy of these times.

Located on Florida's Atlantic coast, Miami International Airport (MIA) comes in third place on the list, with an average security wait time of 19.6 minutes. Though other parts of the country are seeing decreasing tourism rates, such as Las Vegas, travel to Florida remained stable from 2024 to 2025, thanks to domestic and overseas travel, the latter of which increased by 4%.

Despite the consistent flow of travelers year-to-year, MIA — which is the 9th busiest airport in the country — seems to struggle with line efficiency. However, when it comes to direct flights to destinations in the Caribbean and Central and South America, Miami is often the best option. If you want to visit islands like Dominica, voted the best island destination of 2026, it will likely be most convenient to take a direct flight from MIA. 

However, for travelers flying domestically, you could travel out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport (FLL), which receives a little more than half the number of travelers as MIA. While security at FLL may still have you snaking around security lines for anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes, it does have cheaper domestic fares, since it's a hub for budget airlines. If you must fly out of MIA, the best time to plan your travel is late evening on Sunday, from 10 to 11 p.m., which has an average wait time of about eight minutes. Avoid early mornings on Thursdays, between 4 to 5 a.m., at all costs. Otherwise, you may be waiting more than 30 minutes to get yourself and your bags scanned.

The runner up for the worst airport wait times is the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), which will have you waiting for around 19.8 minutes on average. Located in Houston, Texas, IAH is the 2nd busiest airport in Texas — behind Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) — and the 15th busiest airport in the U.S. The airport served over 23 million travelers in both 2024 and 2025, and it is primarily a hub for domestic travel in the continental U.S. and Mexico.

There are multiple reasons IAH experiences higher-than-average wait times. First, in 2025, IAH initiated a lengthy redevelopment project that temporarily closed the Terminal B Ticketing Lobby. While the B gates remain open, Terminal B passengers check in and do their screening at Terminal C, funneling two terminals worth of travelers into one line. Terminal B is scheduled to reopen in late 2026. Second, towards the end of 2025 and early 2026, IAH was more heavily impacted by government shutdowns than other airports. According to Houston Public Media, the airport experienced the highest call-out rates for TSA employees in the country, with about 40% of agents calling out on some days.

The shortest wait times you can expect at IAH are on Wednesdays in the early morning hours, from 5 to 6 a.m., at about eight minutes on average. However, the longest wait times are on Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m., which average around 51 minutes.

Coming in first place for the worst average wait times of any airport in the U.S. is Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), at 23.1 minutes on average. At 16 miles southwest of Midtown Manhattan, EWR is the 14th busiest airport in the U.S. and might be an attractive option for travelers not wanting to battle the crowds at JFK, the 6th busiest. To put it into perspective, JFK served 7 million more travelers than EWR in 2025. Another reason travelers might choose EWR is the commute to Midtown Manhattan by car, which might be shorter, depending on traffic. However, the tradeoff with departing from EWR is that you might be wasting the time you saved driving by standing in longer lines.

However, there are multiple threads on Reddit where commenters argue against EWR's negative reputation. One Redditor says, "Just had a great experience today at EWR also. Quick bag drop and security check [...] Orderly boarding then on time push back and short taxi." Some Redditors suggest the airport does pretty well, except when things get really busy or there is bad weather. One user says, "EWR is [a] pretty solid airport. Never any issues with TSA lines either. But when things get bad it can get really bad."

If you prefer to depart from EWR, the shortest wait times are on Friday nights from 10 to 11 p.m. Even then, the shortest average wait times are still around 15 minutes, just slightly less than the average wait times at LAS, fifth on the list. The absolute worst time to fly out is on a Monday afternoon, which can leave you languishing for 60 minutes on average.