Although some airports across the country are experiencing worst-ever security line wait times – as long as five hours in extreme cases – it’s been relatively smooth sailing at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.
A visit to the airport at around 8 a.m. on Thursday, a heavy travel day for spring break leisure travelers, showed virtually nonexistent security lines for general boarding and TSA PreCheck lines on the airport’s two main concourses.
A stalemate in Congress over funding the Department of Homeland Security has left many airports understaffed, leading to unpredictable wait times in security lines.
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Wait times have lasted hours at some major airports as workers for the Transportation Security Administration, which is operated by DHS, have gone without pay for weeks as a result of the partial federal government shutdown. Workers either quitting or calling off work is the main factor in creating the long security lines but situations vary greatly from airport to airport.
More than 50,000 airport security officers have gone without pay since the start of the shutdown, with more than 460 TSA workers quitting their jobs, Reuters reported. More than 1,100 quit during the 2025 shutdown.
Nearly 11% of TSA workers — more than 3,200 — missed work on Monday, according to DHS figures reported by the Associated Press.
Security lines and wait times at Mitchell Airport haven’t been anywhere near as problematic as some of the hardest-hit airports. In addition to Thursday morning’s smooth sailing, security lines were also moving quickly at the airport on Wednesday – 15 minutes or less for early morning flights – and those going through TSA PreCheck experienced little to no wait times, although it’s important to note that Wednesdays tend to be low volume travel days.
A Mitchell spokesperson, who noted that Mitchell isn’t involved in TSA staffing or operations at the airport, referred questions to DHS, which didn’t respond to a request seeking comment.
Up-to-date exact wait times aren’t exactly clear because the MyTSA app, which is designed to show live security line wait times, isn’t being actively managed during the partial government shutdown, according to a message that pops up on the app.
Denver International Airport, the nation’s third-busiest airport and a popular destination among Milwaukee area travelers, posted on social media this week that passengers were experiencing few security related delays but warned that the situation could change.
he most extreme case has been at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, where security line wait times were more than five hours at one point. The airport warned passengers to expect wait times of more than four hours on Thursday.
Milwaukee air travelers who also use Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports could experience slightly longer wait times. At O’Hare, wait times reportedly have ranged from less than 15 minutes to more than 45 minutes during peak periods in recent weeks due to staff shortages.
Wait times at Midway also appear to have been relatively short in recent days but confusion remains among travelers because live wait times aren’t clear and the Chicago Department of Aviation doesn’t track wait times for the two airports.
Dozens of federal immigration officers were deployed at O’Hare this week after President Donald Trump ordered agents to assist the TSA during a government shutdown.
The MyTSA app showed both airports had wait times of less than 15 minutes early Thursday afternoon, but it was unclear whether that information is accurate.
In Milwaukee, Chicago and elsewhere, travelers are being urged to arrive at airports early in anticipation of longer wait times stemming from staffing shortages and an influx of spring break travelers.
The TSA and airlines recommend arriving at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight, even for those who enrolled in expedited screening programs like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.
