Closing some US airports due to TSA staffing would have big consequences, experts say

A TSA agent with a badge on his blue uniform checks a passengers ticket
A TSA agent checks a passenger's ticket and boarding pass at Ohare Airport in Chicago, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Problems at U.S. airports could worsen beyond hours-long security lines and missed flights if Congress does not agree on a way to pay Transportation Security Administration officers. Federal officials have warned that staffing shortages may close some smaller airports to passengers and commercial flights.

While no specific airports have emerged publicly as potential candidates, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the TSA’s acting leaders said they expected more airport screeners to quit or call out of work after Friday, when TSA personnel were set to miss their second full paychecks since mid-February.

They have been required to work without pay since funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which the TSA falls under, lapsed on Feb. 14.