The Brian Lehrer Show Advice for the Airport During the DHS Shutdown
Mar 24, 2026
Clint Henderson, managing editor at The Points Guy who reports on live airport conditions, and Andrea Sachs, travel reporter at The Washington Post who covers aviation and traveler tips. They discuss chaotic, fluctuating security lines, how early to arrive at different hubs, checking TSA and airport wait-time tools, and why staffing and systemic underinvestment are straining U.S. aviation.
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Get To Major Airports Up To Five Hours Early
- Arrive far earlier than usual when flying from heavily impacted airports like Atlanta, Houston, Newark, or LaGuardia.
- Clint Henderson recommends getting to those airports up to five hours early and two to three hours for smaller airports.
Same Airport Can Be Chaos One Day And Clear The Next
- Airport conditions can swing wildly day-to-day at the same airport.
- Clint saw mayhem Sunday with long lines, but later visits had 90-minute, then five-minute security waits at Atlanta.
Check Airport Wait Clocks Before You Leave
- Check live airport wait-time tools the day before and the day of your flight to decide when to leave home.
- Andrea Sachs uses airport-updated wait clocks and plans two to two-and-a-half hours for less-affected airports like DCA or Boston Logan.