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Airport Security Lines: A Survival Guide

June 1, 2016

Recently, there has been a lot of hype about airport security. It’s been reported that airports are extremely short-staffed on TSA agents. This is leading to fewer security lines open, and in turn longer lines and wait times.

Travel and Leisure Magazine reported that passengers at Los Angeles International airport wait an average of 40 minutes for security. And they predict those times are only going to get longer throughout the summer.

I have met approximately zero people who have expressed excitement in the idea of having to wait in lines. In fact, waiting in TSA lines can be so stressful that people straight up snap.

In an effort to reduce this stress and help keep your mind off the wait, here are some things you can do to occupy your time while waiting in line.

 

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Ready Your Mind

It’s best to arrive at the airport expecting that you are going to have to wait. This way there is no surprise if there is a long wait time. Get good sleep the night before your flight to help keep away the crankies.

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Stock Up on Snacks

Waiting in line is not the time to let the hangry-monster come out. Bring some granola bars or fruit to keep your belly at bay. TSA allows fresh, whole fruit to go through security so if you don’t eat all your snacks you’ll be okay.

While you can’t bring your full water bottle through security, you can drink it while in line. That way when you get through security, you can take your empty water bottle and fill it up again at your gate. It’s important to stay hydrated while flying. Just make sure you pace yourself, because you don’t want to end up with a bathroom emergency while waiting!

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Charge Your Electronics

For those of you fortunate enough to own electronic entertainment devices, this is where they really come in handy. Get lost in some Angry Birds while you wait. Check your Facebook or emails. Get caught up on the latest Archives of Adventure post (shameless plug…). Text your mom and say hi. (Hi Mom!) Make sure your devices are fully charged before heading to the airport, for maximum entertainment time. Just don’t allow yourself to get too lost in your electronics. Nobody wants to be that guy who doesn’t move up in line because he’s too busy scrolling through Instagram.

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Bring a Book

Another great way to pass the time is to bring along a good book. Not only does reading help to occupy you as you wait, it is also good for your mind! The best part is you don’t have to worry about the battery in your book dying! Or having to connect it to wifi in order to keep the pages turning! Again, just be mindful of the line moving as you read.

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Tweet Your Times

Passengers have been taking to social media to vent their wait time frustrations. Tweet your wait times and photos of the line with the hashtag #ihatethewait. Just be sure not to get any TSA agents in your photos, for reasons of security. You can also search for others who have used the tag and scroll through to see who has it worse than you.

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Breathe & Reflect

If you feel your stress levels rising, it’s time to start that breathing. Focus on controlling your breath and slowing your mind’s thoughts. Take some time to reflect on your travels. Where are you going? Where have you been? What was the best part of your trip? What are you most looking forward to? Calm your mind and remember that you will get there eventually.

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Commence Prep Mode

There’s a whole checklist of things you can do to make sure that you are all ready when you finally reach that conveyor belt. Make sure all your liquids are in under 3-ounce containers and are all in one quart-sized bag. Take off your watches, belts, and anything else metal that may make you have to go through the detector again. This hold up the line. Get all the change out of your pockets. Loosen the ties on your shoes so you can slip them off. Have your laptop ready to be taken out. Ensure you don’t have any prohibited items on you or in your carry-on luggage.

Keep your ID (and/or passport) and airline ticket out. If you have multiple tickets printed, you will only need the one for the airport you’re departing from.

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***

What are some of your tips for long airport security lines? Share them in the comments below!

 

 

 

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28 Comments


Amanda Williams
June 2, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Reply

This is really interesting. I would be pretty fed up if it took me 40 minutes to get through security (unless there was a security alert or something). But of course I appreciate the importance of what they’re doing. I like the idea of tweeting your wait times!



Dominique Lessard
June 2, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Reply

I try not to drink to much right before I get to security, because if the line is very long, I don’t want to lose my spot to go to the bathroom.



Kinga
June 2, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Reply

Hmm… Quite helpful post! Well I’ve never had a very long time on security line, athought usually during immigration sometimes I think I can die (because it’s so long). Usually this time I’m doing some stuffs in my phone or simply watching people (however it sounds). I found it fascinating especially when it comes to styles and nationalities 🙂



Meg Jerrard
June 2, 2016 at 9:49 pm
Reply

Some great ideas here – re charging your devices, I love traveling with my portable charger too – it’s essentially a battery you charge up before you leave home, and then I can plug it into any device via USB to charge on the go. That way if I run the battery down waiting in the queue I can charge it back up for the plane. I’ve started reading ebooks on my iPad a lot to make the time go by 🙂



Tess Andrade
June 2, 2016 at 11:14 pm
Reply

It’s interesting I don’t think I ever had to wait long in security lines – I think the longest has been 40min but I wasn’t alone and had someone to chat to. But I’ve never actually thought what to do during really long waiting times if I were to travel alone — so this post is hugely helpful! Thank you so much! Will bookmark this and keep it in mind for when it so happens that O have a lot of time to kill…



Paul
June 3, 2016 at 5:56 pm
Reply

I hate having to queue for security checks but at the same time I would rather them do their job properly and have to wait so everyone is safe! Great tips though which will come in useful for next time.



Nancy
June 3, 2016 at 10:12 pm
Reply

Waiting in long security can really set some people off. I love your first tip to “ready your mind”. Great advice, if you arrive expecting it will take some time to get through the lines it won’t be so bad. It’s too bad there are many impatient travelers out there who expect pass through quickly then complain while in line disturbing other passengers. Like you wrote getting your act together before hand really helps speed up those lines.



Heather
June 4, 2016 at 10:12 am
Reply

We’ve all done it, all hate it, yet most of us don’t think about preparing for it, so some great tips here. Especially about taking water and then going through with an empty bottle, why did I never think of that before??



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:38 am
    Reply

    I know right?! I didn’t learn that trick until a few years ago when I worked in an airport…

Emma Raphael
June 4, 2016 at 3:00 pm
Reply

40 mins is quite long, if it means we are safe though… A comprehensive helpful list! 🙂



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:39 am
    Reply

    I agree. Airport security is certainly necessary. Some people just don’t share that opinion…

Sarah Ricks
June 4, 2016 at 11:17 pm
Reply

I agree it’s best to anticipate the wait, then figure out a way to spend the time that you’ll enjoy rather than resent. Like reading blog posts about your upcoming destination!



Jo
June 5, 2016 at 2:39 pm
Reply

I have never had to wait so long in security lines but during my trip to SA, via Mumbai it was simply the worst I had ever seen. Wait times at Mumbai airport are atrocious and I saw people trying to break the lines and lots of people yelling and fighting. It was a horrible experience. I think from all the tips above, I love the book one. I could totally get engrossed in a book and it will help relive the stress – Reading has a calming effect on me, somehow.



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:40 am
    Reply

    Wow that sounds like quite the experience! I can’t believe the airport officials allowed fighting to occur!

Lara Dunning
June 5, 2016 at 3:30 pm
Reply

I love that there is a #ihatethewait hashtag. There are so many things that I really detest about all of that, but that is a post in itself. Great tips to keep, or try to keep, or sanity.



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:41 am
    Reply

    Isn’t it interesting? I guess the TSA are interested in knowing how long people are having to wait, so they even promote using the hashtag!

Danielle Des
June 5, 2016 at 6:29 pm
Reply

Ha! Will be tweeting #ihatethewait on my future travels – this was my favorite tip.



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:41 am
    Reply

    Pretty interesting huh? I bet there are some fun rants on that one…

Kerri
June 6, 2016 at 1:57 am
Reply

You actually can’t use your mobile phones anywhere in the secure/passport zones in Australian international airports. I honestly don’t stress too much about waiting lines – they are what they are and I can’t control it. Sure I wish I lived in a different world where there wasn’t so much security that we needed to go through but I just roll with it. I have had to wait for 2 hours in a security line in Lima before, about 1.5 hours in Cuba, so 40 mins seems like a breeze 🙂



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:42 am
    Reply

    Good to know that you can’t use your phones in security! I guess that does make sense…

    Gosh, I couldn’t imagine having to wait two hours. That’s like a whole extra plane ride!

Vicki Louise
June 6, 2016 at 7:11 am
Reply

Great post. I think ensuring your electronics are charged is essential – but having a good book would be awesome – I can easily get lost in a book and could surpass those 40 minute wait times if I was really enjoying the story!



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:43 am
    Reply

    Same here! It’s gotta be the right book though…

Jenn
June 10, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Reply

Great post! I am that person who will do little exercises while in line… jumps, lunges, calf raises. Yep… I do that…



    Brianna
    June 16, 2016 at 10:43 am
    Reply

    Bahaha. I could never do that. Props to you, girl!

10 Things to Know Before Visiting the Statue of Liberty - Archives of Adventure
August 11, 2016 at 10:03 am
Reply

[…] the ferry, you will have to go through a security check. The procedures are fairly similar to airport security– take everything out of your pockets, and no open food. Don’t worry about taking off […]



Twelve Days of Christmas: My 2016 Travel Summary - Archives of Adventure - Travel For The Average Person
December 17, 2016 at 1:31 pm
Reply

[…] Australia, I got to see some amazing coastline views. I also got to figure out some good ways to survive those long airport security lines, and tried out some obscure things to do on a plane to help pass the […]



Byron
February 1, 2018 at 1:13 pm
Reply

It’s a few years later and this advice is still just as relevant if not more so. Should i be disappointed that airport security seems to have gotten worse in how much you have to wait around?



    Brianna
    February 4, 2018 at 8:39 am
    Reply

    I still haven’t had much of a problem. What airports do you typically use?

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  • I’m Brianna and I’m possibly the funniest person I know. I’m a total goofball who loves to travel. I fell in love with the world in 2007, when my family and I moved to Sydney, Australia. Since then, I’ve been on a mission to see the world. I'm an ordinary adventurer here to show you how the average person can travel the world.

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