MW Here's what airlines are offering passengers trapped in long TSA lines - and why travelers won't get much else

By Genna ContinoVictor Reklaitis

A funding deal that would have ended the partial government shutdown could be falling apart

Travelers wait in long security lines at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston as the TSA experiences staffing shortages due to a partial government shutdown.

As travelers continue to face hours-long airport security lines during the busy spring-break season, some airlines are making it easier and less expensive to change flights.

Carriers such as United $(UAL)$, Delta $(DAL)$ and JetBlue $(JBLU)$ have waived change fees - which can run to several hundred dollars, depending on the airline - for some passengers who missed their flights due to long lines, as thousands of Transportation Security Administration officers who are working without pay during the partial government shutdown have called out of work.

As TSA workers approach a second payday without a full paycheck, more than 450 of the agency's officers have quit, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said, and more than 3,000 called out of work on Tuesday. Airports in New York, Atlanta, New Orleans and Houston have experienced the highest percentage of callouts, according to DHS, with nearly half the TSA workforce at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport calling out. Hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been deployed to "help bolster TSA efforts," DHS said, although it did not specify how ICE agents are helping.

Airlines might be more lenient when processing flight changes right now, but passengers shouldn't expect a cash refund just because they were stuck at a security checkpoint. The U.S. Transportation Department's automatic-refund rule requires airlines to provide a full cash refund to passengers if their flight is canceled - but not if a passenger misses a flight for a reason out of the airline's control.

However, it's still worth calling your airline to see what your options are, according to Katy Nastro, a travel expert at the travel site Going.

Read more: Flights will keep getting more expensive and harder to find. Here's how much worse it could get.

"If you are in line and you may miss your flight, get in touch with the airline immediately," Nastro said. "Technically, this would not be covered under the right to a refund, so it's up to the airline and their policies around reaccommodating. Airlines are understanding, to a point."

Standard travel-insurance policies do not cover flights missed because of long TSA lines, according to travel-insurance marketplace Squaremouth, as those are considered a foreseeable travel delay.

It's unclear how long TSA staffing shortages will persist. Congress on Wednesday did not appear to be close to ending the partial government shutdown.

U.S. senators had sounded upbeat on Monday night about a DHS funding deal that would pay TSA agents while not providing money for certain ICE operations that have been at the center of the funding standoff. But optimism around the potential deal was fading as of Wednesday. Senate Democrats said they were making a counteroffer that featured more ICE reforms, and Senate Republicans were voicing objections.

Read more: March 27 looks like a make-or-break day for American travelers and the partial government shutdown

Friday is a payday for TSA agents, who could miss a full paycheck for the second time. Those workers got a partial paycheck on Feb. 27 and missed their first full paycheck on March 13.

One prediction market, Polymarket, was giving a likelihood of only about 33% on Wednesday that the partial shutdown would end by March 31. That's down sharply from a 64% chance on Tuesday. (Polymarket has a business partnership with Dow Jones, the publisher of MarketWatch.)

Here's what travelers can expect from U.S. airlines.

United

Travelers who flew or are flying United to or from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston between March 23 and March 25 can reschedule their trips to depart as late as March 27 without paying any change fees or fare differences. The airline is letting customers keep their original destination or switch the arrival or departure city to Austin, Dallas or San Antonio at no extra cost, provided the new ticket is booked in the same cabin. Flights originally booked on or before March 22 qualify for these rebooking options.

United is working "to rebook customers who miss their flights onto the next available option," a company spokesperson told MarketWatch Wednesday. The airline did not specify which airports this applies to and if it would waive change fees and fare differences for all affected travelers.

Southwest

Southwest $(LUV)$ isn't seeing any significant issues in its operations, according to spokesperson Chris Perry, but the airline is helping customers experiencing extended wait times by waiving change fees, accepting bags well in advance of scheduled flights and rebooking customers who miss their flights with no additional fees.

JetBlue

JetBlue customers who miss their flight because of long security lines will be rebooked on the next available flight at no additional charge.

"With the exception of Blue Basic, all JetBlue fares are flexible - meaning no change or cancellation fees for customers who want to adjust their travel plans ahead of time," a JetBlue spokesperson told MarketWatch.

Allegiant

Allegiant $(ALGT)$ introduced a "Travel with Confidence" policy Monday that allows customers to change or cancel their flight without any financial penalty if travel dates fall during the partial government shutdown. Passengers have the option to receive a full refund or adjust their itinerary for free, but they must contact Allegiant's customer-care team directly to process these requests.

American Airlines

Passengers flying American Airlines $(AAL)$ to, from or through New York City's LaGuardia Airport between March 23 and March 28 can make a one-time change to their itinerary without paying a change fee. Qualifying customers must have purchased their original ticket by March 22 and rebook travel by March 30. They also have the option to switch their flight to other New York-area airports at no extra cost, in the same cabin.

This policy follows Monday's temporary closure of LaGuardia after an Air Canada plane collided with an emergency vehicle on a runway. The airline had not issued any travel alerts related to long security lines as of early Wednesday afternoon and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Delta

Passengers flying out of Atlanta March 23 and 24 were allowed to rebook travel for any date through March 30 at no extra cost, provided they book a seat in the same cabin. Customers who choose to travel later than that or decide to cancel and hold the ticket value as a credit for a year won't pay a change fee but have to cover any difference in fare price.

Delta had not issued additional advisories for other airports or dates as of early Wednesday afternoon, and the airline did not respond to a request for comment.

-Genna Contino -Victor Reklaitis

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March 25, 2026 13:38 ET (17:38 GMT)

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