DHS abruptly reverses course on suspending TSA PreCheck

PreCheck airport screening lanes are operational, the Transportation Security Administration said Sunday, just hours after the Trump administration said faster security checkpoint services would be paused due to the partial government shutdown.

“At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no changes for the traveling public,” TSA officials said in a statement. “As staffing constraints emerge, TSA will evaluate on a case-by-case basis and adjust its operations accordingly. Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of protecting America’s skies.”

The move comes as the U.S. northeast braces for a massive winter storm that could disrupt airline flights for days.

The pause on TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs was originally scheduled to go into effect at 6 a.m. ET on Sunday, DHS said.

“TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. he said.

TSA PreCheck has more than 20 million active members, based on agency count in 2024.

“PreCheck members account for 34 percent of passengers screened at airport checkpoints.” The New York Times reported in August 2025, citing a TSA spokesperson. The program is available at more than 200 airports in the United States, the newspaper said.

The pause in the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry security programs is a result of the partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14 after congressional lawmakers failed to reach an agreement to fund DHS.

Airlines canceled more than 6,000 flights through Monday and waived cancellation and change fees for airports from Virginia to Maine ahead of the East Coast snowstorm.

Members of the travel industry sharply criticized the move, which came just months after last year’s federal government shutdown impacted air travel and hurt bookings, according to executives.

“A4A is deeply concerned that the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs have been suspended and the traveling public is once again being used as a political football during the government shutdown,” said Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu. The group represents American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and other major carriers.

“The announcement was issued with extremely short notice to passengers, giving them little time to plan accordingly, which is particularly troubling at this time of record air travel,” he added.

The longest-ever government shutdown in the fall cost the travel industry and other sectors $6.1 billion, the group said. These outages affected approximately 6 million passengers.

The U.S. Travel Association, which represents major hotel chains and many other businesses in the industry, called DHS’s move “extremely disappointing.”

“We are disgusted that over the last 90 days Democrats and Republicans have used air traffic controllers, TSA, CBP and the entire travel experience to achieve political goals,” the statement said.

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