Airports Hardest Hit by 2026 TSA Staffing Shortages

Source: Upgraded Points' Airline Travel Demand Tracker

The impact of the TSA funding lapse varied considerably across U.S. airports, with some of the nation's busiest hubs recording the sharpest declines in reported checkpoint throughput. Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), one of the busiest airports in the world, experienced the largest year-over-year decline among major airports, with average daily TSA throughput falling 76.9% between March and May 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

Atlanta provides one of the clearest examples of the severity of the disruption. During the funding lapse, federal authorities deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to assist with identification checks at airport security checkpoints after TSA staffing shortages strained operations. The airport also reported multiple instances in which TSA throughput data showed zero passengers processed at ATL's main checkpoint during peak travel periods, illustrating how staffing and operational challenges may have affected both checkpoint operations and the reporting systems used to track passenger throughput. As a result, some of the largest declines observed in the data reflect a combination of real-world disruptions and data collection challenges during the funding lapse.

Other large hub airports posting substantial declines included Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) (-29.1%), Miami International Airport (MIA) (-26.2%), Orlando International Airport (MCO) (-22.2%), and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) (-19.7%). Among medium hub airports, William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) experienced the sharpest decline with a 24.5% reduction in TSA throughput year over year. Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and Dallas Love Field (DAL) also experienced substantial declines at -19.7% and -13.7%, respectively.

While every airport with TSA personnel experienced negative impacts from the funding lapse, several large hubs were able to weather the storm and demonstrated notable resilience in passenger processing. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) led this group, posting an 8.7% year-over-year increase in average daily TSA throughput, followed by San Diego International Airport (SAN) (+5.2%) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) (+4.6%). The throughput growth at Newark offers a clear example of how localized staffing stability helped mitigate the worst effects of the crisis. While neighboring New York hubs experienced severe staffing shortages — with TSA worker callout rates reaching 28.2% at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and 25.8% at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) — EWR reported a significantly lower callout rate of 13.8%. This relative stability in the local workforce helped mitigate the impacts of crippling operational bottlenecks and extended wait times.

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Which Airports Were Most Impacted by the TSA Funding Lapse?
Which Airports Were Most Impacted by the TSA Funding Lapse?
With summer air travel remaining near peak levels and TSA introducing its new Gold+ screening program, researchers at Upgraded Points analyzed checkpoint throughput data to identify which U.S. airports were most affected by the 2026 TSA funding lapse. As policymakers focus on modernizing airport security and millions of travelers head through TSA checkpoints this summer, the study provides one of the first airport-by-airport looks at how staffing shortages affected screening operations during a major federal funding disruption—offering new insight into which airports proved most vulnerable and which remained resilient. In the study, airports are ranked according to the percentage change in average daily TSA throughput. 1 min