What is going through an airport/flying like in America right now?
Posted by whyamistillgettingha@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 129 comments
I’m mainly curious about what it’s like to fly within America (from state to state).
Distwalker@reddit
I have a feeling you aren't asking about air travel per se. There are no document checks flying state-to-state. There is no immigration. There is no customs. There are no border stations. Flying state-to-state is no more scrutinized than walking across the street. Other than standard security checks there is nothing to it. No passports. No declarations. No questions.
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
Eh, well, you do have to have the Real ID now to board a plane, not just a normal dl or ID. If not, then you need a passport or other US ID.
Yankee_chef_nen@reddit
Please see the 1980 documentary “Airplane” for a look at what flying commercial airlines in the U.S. is like.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080339/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
Granadafan@reddit
I speak jive
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
Sheeeit.
bottledapplesauce@reddit
Surely, the Hari Krishna's are mostly gone though.
RightFlounder@reddit
I've never seen them. And don't call me Shirley.
doubtinggull@reddit
Yes, mostly, and don't call me Shirley
bottledapplesauce@reddit
Thank you, I was disappointed it took this long for that comment. :)
heynow941@reddit
The days of anyone without a ticket getting anywhere near a gate a long gone.
FatGuyOnAMoped@reddit
They might be, but the Jehovah's Witnesses are still there
Yankee_chef_nen@reddit
We’ve replaced them with the TSA. I think that was a poor trade on our part.
Wii_wii_baget@reddit
Some changes because of 9/11 but yeah close to the same
WesternCowgirl27@reddit
And pilots always make sure that their aircraft is equipped with an “Otto” pilot.
DireWyrm@reddit
Keep in mind that it's outdated post 9/11 because the TSA wasn't a thing then.
terryaugiesaws@reddit
Surely you can't be serious
xxxjessicann00xxx@reddit
Don't call me Shirley
Square-Wing-6273@reddit
Surely, you can't be serious.
Yankee_chef_nen@reddit
Don’t call me Surely.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
Yes, I remember. I had lasagna.
FirefighterRude9219@reddit
And it’s funny it’s actually not a joke. And then shuttle buses to car rental places 😀 that’s insane.
physical-vapor@reddit
This is the only answer that could help a foreigner understand flying domestic in the USA.
Subject_Stand_7901@reddit
Honestly pretty easy if you line it up right (read, get lucky.)
I fly for work pretty regularly, so I got TSA pre check, which helps immensely.
If you can schedule your flight to leave at an off-peak time, on a major carrier, I doubt it'd be like the horror stories you've probably heard.
Now the screw ups do happen, that's inevitable, but, there's ways to mitigate them.
And yes, I understand that's an incredibly privileged position to hold, so...grain of salt.
e140driver@reddit
Ops normal. Why? Has something broken in to the new cycle to indicate the contrary?
LionLucy@reddit
Yes, the British and German governments have put out warnings to make sure all documents and procedures are in order because people are getting arrested and detained at the border for really minor stuff.
Obviously having everything correct before you travel is just basic good advice but the warning is a new thing, so I can see why someone would think something had changed.
e140driver@reddit
In my time as a pilot, I’ve found that having documents in order at a border is good practice no matter the country.
That said, I’m working a domestic flight to DCA in about an hour. If my lack of capital entry permit causes me to detained, or I am met at the gate by secret police, I’ll be sure to let you know. Or you might see me shot at dawn as an example to the world 🤷♂️.
We’re not a police state yet, much as breathless European news reports (and Europeans themselves) might suggest.
LionLucy@reddit
The warnings are from the Foreign Office, so it's not just media hysteria. But while I'm sure there's something to it, I'm not getting "police state" vibes
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-beefs-up-travel-warnings-over-us-border-enforcement-2025-03-20/
2manypupppies@reddit
Do you think maybe this could be political posturing by European governments?
LionLucy@reddit
A bit but I also think the customs officers probably have got stricter, and people do tend to think "america, it's a friendly country, it'll be fine", so I think maybe the warning might be necessary, in a way it wouldn't be for a country that everyone thinks of as authoritarian
devilbunny@reddit
In general, I have found that it is best in all countries to have everything in order. I have not investigated these incidents thoroughly, but at least one had to do with duration of entry permitted and some US quirks if you leave the US and try to reenter on a tourist visa - to wit, you have 90 days allowed in the US before you have to leave, and you don't get a fresh 90 days if you spend a week in, say, Canada and then reenter the US. Your original arrival date is the one that matters.
However, that's all beside the point here, as the question is about domestic travel. All my recent domestic flights have seemed fairly full and the airports definitely not empty, but my last flight was in early January so... maybe it's changed. Ask me again in a few months.
theClanMcMutton@reddit
That attitude is hard for me to imagine. I don't travel intentionally very much, but when I have, I've found the process to be quite strict.
In Dublin they gave me a hard time for no reason at all, even with all my stuff in order. Of course they didn't detain me or refuse my entry, but still.
LionLucy@reddit
I think it's because from the UK you can fly to Paris or Amsterdam or Barcelona for £30 and people do it all the time, and you don't really need anything except a passport and the whole thing is pretty chill, so people are used to doing it fairly spontaneously.
theClanMcMutton@reddit
All right, I guess that makes sense.
e140driver@reddit
Having heard stories about the hell flight crew are put through on clearing customs at Heathrow, I hardly think tightening a border restrictions a bit on the part of the US constitutes us becoming more authoritarian.
LionLucy@reddit
No, I know! I just meant that obviously everyone is worried about going through customs in somewhere like China or Russia but people tend to still be used to the relaxed EU approach, which isn't the case everywhere (or anywhere, really, now)
machagogo@reddit
What no. All European leaders are do gooders who ALWAYS have nothing but the best worldly intentions in mind.
There is NEVER EVER any realpolitik involved in ANY decision making.
e140driver@reddit
^ ding, ding ding, we have a winner
SavannahInChicago@reddit
A couple German tourist got arrested at the Mexican border.
LionLucy@reddit
Knowing Germans like I know Germans (I work with them a lot), I can imagine they annoyed some border guards terribly! If they think they're right, they won't stop telling you why you're wrong, and if they think something doesn't make logical sense, they won't accept it even if God himself appeared in a cloud to tell them to accept it.
VelocityGrrl39@reddit
A French scientist traveling to a conference in the US was detained and questioned, then expelled after a search of their phone revealed texts critical of trump. A Canadian actress was detained in chains for 10 days. This is not related to “annoying border guards”.
coysbville@reddit
Honestly, I've always found it very annoying that we, as Americans, have such higher restrictions for traveling in comparison to other developed countries, but at the same time we basically let anyone with a passport come here, so I'm not mad about people getting turned away at the border tbh. I understand this is an immigrant country and everything but a line needs to be drawn somewhere
SkiingAway@reddit
What on earth are you trying to say here?
Europe/Canada does not generally have any stricter restrictions on Americans visiting there than we have on them visiting here.
You generally can't visit the US from most less-developed countries without a visa.
coysbville@reddit
It's pretty straight to the point, is it not? We are far behind most developed countries in terms of travel freedom. Most of them are allowed visa free travel to America under the VWP. Or at least until the recent election, they were. I'm not talking about third world countries.
You can't enter Canada with so much as a misdemeanor on your record as an American, but you can be a Canadian criminal and still come here and stay for 182 days if you want, sometimes even with a felony record. What sense does that make?
SkiingAway@reddit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_Waiver_Program#/media/File:Visa_policy_of_the_USA.svg
That's the VWP-eligible country map. As an American, you can visit pretty much all of those places without a visa as well.
You can generally enter Canada with a non-violent misdemeanor on your record. (multiple, perhaps not until it's been 5+ years since). DUIs are a different story because they're considered fairly serious crimes in Canada.
The US is not likely to let a Canadian felon in unless that crime was a very long time ago or maybe something non-violent.
coysbville@reddit
Our papers hold far less weight than all of them, still.
I couldn't get in with a DUI without a TRP and a compelling reason for visiting
Comfortable_Tale9722@reddit
I work with some Germans and this is all accurate. Very stubborn people.
zinky30@reddit
Give the source or you’re making it up.
VeryQuokka@reddit
One of them was planning on working in the US and had been accused of illegally working in the US before. I'm not sure I would classify them as a tourist.
cbrooks97@reddit
I've heard the same warning about going to the UK. Apparently everyone's getting picky about visas lately.
TrumanD1974@reddit
OP specifically asked about travel from state to state, so I think that's why people are a bit confused.
StarSpangleBRangel@reddit
OP is asking about travel within the US. Customs has nothing to do with that.
Rbkelley1@reddit
I feel like that says more about the travelers than the laws. Just have everything in order and you won’t have a problem.
whatafuckinusername@reddit
That’s for international flights. OP is asking about domestic, it looks like. As for that, I flew domestically in Jan and nothing was out of the ordinary.
EffectiveKitchen6922@reddit
You don't go through customs from state to state, so I doubt that changed. Im sure some of the international has changed a bit.
MetroBS@reddit
This question confuses me
whyamistillgettingha@reddit (OP)
I edited it to hopefully make what I’m asking more clear. Sorry about that!
therealjerseytom@reddit
Not at all true.
pfta4@reddit
As you have heard, I also have noticed a lot less people in the airport although I could not tell you why.
SkiingAway@reddit
I fly pretty frequently, including today.
Yes, there's been some degree of a reduction in air travel demand. One part some people being spooked with recent incidents, one part a little more economic uncertainty, IMO.
There's been some incredibly good deals on air travel lately as a result (flew BOS-DEN for $215 round-trip today), and it's been at least a few more empty middle seats and the like on the flights.
Haven't noticed any major changes in airport operations.
sfprairie@reddit
I just flew for work, out on Monday, return on Wed. TX to FL. It was crowded. Both directions the planes were packed. TSA did not seem to be less crowded than normal.
Adjective-Noun123456@reddit
The fun thing about threads like this is reading "right now" and wondering if something has actually changed, like a new TSA pre-check or something, or if I'm reading something written by someone who spends too much time on Reddit.
No-Conversation1940@reddit
I still don't believe the Real ID thing will actually happen. I remember flying out of O'Hare in '08 and seeing "Real ID will be required this November" or September or whenever it was back then.
No-Conversation1940@reddit
I suspect that's a holdover from the COVID slowdown. I believe O'Hare and Midway still haven't hit their pre-COVID traffic levels.
HairyDadBear@reddit
Let's see. Last month I had to fly to California. I got to the airport. It was kinda empty but that didn't stop me from being a sweaty mess. I stopped by the coffee shop past security, said hi to the cute barista and order an iced chai. Then I wanted a snack so I went to Chick-fil-A and got a sandwich. Was tasty but I wish it was Popeyes. Then I went to my gate and just sat there for another hours listening to music. On the plane there were some turbulence but nothing out of the ordinary. Landed and looked outside at the people taking out the luggage. Then I left the airport, got an uber, and went straight to a bar where a local friend was waiting for me.
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
Going through the airport is fine.
In my experience, it seems like most airlines don't know their head from their ass anymore in terms of keeping a schedule.
immortalsauce@reddit
Having flown from one country to another in the EU, it’s very much like that. Almost the exact imo other than having to take your shoes off at security.
sadthrow104@reddit
I mean LGA and PDX are now bougie places, o hopefully more airports can follow that mindset in their renovations lol
BrainFartTheFirst@reddit
Terrible, same as always.
GotWheaten@reddit
Uneventful. Had to travel from AZ to TN last month twice. No real issues
ketamineburner@reddit
The same as ever.
coysbville@reddit
The same as I've always remembered
catymogo@reddit
It’s fine. If anything it’s easier than flying in Europe these days, you can leave your liquids in their bags and 9/10 laptops stay in.
hypnoticbacon28@reddit
I just did this yesterday with Southwest Airlines, flying from Indiana to Texas. In a couple days I have to fly back.
It was simple. You can book flights online and print out an itinerary. Check in up to 24 hours before the flight. Get to the airport at least 2 hours early and have the airline you chose do your checked luggage for you. They will also weigh your carry on bag if you have one.
Go through security with a valid identification like a state issued ID or passport ready to show the TSA officer. More TSA agents will check your carry on bag with computed tomography and have you empty your pockets and remove your shoes and belt before either scanning you with another CT machine or searching you if you don’t consent to being checked with that machine. Then grab all belongings they took from you and move to your gate with your boarding pass.
As you head to the gates where you board your plane, you’re surrounded by shops and restaurants, and of course these are all higher priced than normal. When you board the plane, an attendant will explain safety procedures before the plane takes off, and they gave us a bag of pretzels and your choice of drink, both complimentary. If you have to change planes, just head to the next gate with your next boarding pass. They give all boarding passes at once, so there’s no need to pick up a new one at the next airport.
huuaaang@reddit
Curious why you think it might be different now. Things definitely changed after 9/11, but nothing really new since then. Just things like having to take your shoes off and run them through the scanner.
Barbados_slim12@reddit
From some comments here, certain governments have been fear mongering to their citizens about how much of a "dictatorship" America is now. They're issuing warnings about the strong possibility of getting arrested for nothing in US airports.
More-Sock-67@reddit
Flying domestically (state to state) hasn’t changed to my knowledge. Check your bags, go through your normal security screening and go to your gate.
twowrist@reddit
Since January 20, we’ve flown Boston to San Francisco, San Francisco to Auckland (New Zealand), Wellington to Sydney, and Honolulu to Boston.
Other than TSA having a longer line than Wellington, I didn’t notice much difference. And that’s probably just because Wellington is a small airport and we got there early.
whyamionthisplatform@reddit
airports have "diversified" their approach to security, so at my home airport they yell at us to only take shoes and jackets off because their scanners don't require anything to be removed from bags but at others they still want liquids and laptops out and will scream at you if you're not fast enough for them. lol
rawbface@reddit
I've flown around Europe and commercial air travel in the USA is exceedingly, boringly, the same.
molten_dragon@reddit
Pretty much the same as it's been since 2001.
Athrynne@reddit
Completely like it has been post-9/11. I flew to California and back at the end of February and it was no different than usual.
illegalsex@reddit
Same as before.
wormbreath@reddit
You go to the airport, go through security, go to the gate, get on the plane, the plane flies to the next place and it lands and then you get off the plane and you’re in a new place. Pretty cool stuff.
Eubank31@reddit
Normal? I flew through CLT and ORD both for the first time last week and it was exceptionally normal
avalve@reddit
My brother and his friends just got back from week long trip in Italy. Flights are crowded and expensive because of spring break, but everything seemed normal & running smoothly at the airport. Is there a reason you’re asking?
kmoonster@reddit
Domestic flights have not changed dramatically, at least not yet. The changes proposed for the FAA (air traffic safety, coordination, and oversight) will have an impact if they become enforceable, but that's all tied up in courts right now.
If an immigration agency has an interest in you, they can 'see' passenger manifests and have shown up at a few airports to intercept people they are looking for but even that is not new 'in principle'. What is new on this front is that they are becoming a lot more aggressive about the justifications they use to perform an intercept like that.
Grabbing people at an airport happens to citizens too, but usually only when you've been evading arrest for ages and / or you are a high-risk target. Flying usually means you don't have a weapon on you (or not any significant weapon), and you are in a confined area with nowhere to run. The officers will just stand at the end of the jetway and corral you when you de-board.
Anyway, - to your question. This "DOGE" thing is trying to lay off or replace a bunch of the people who monitor weather and route traffic, who coordinate which altitude (flight levels) to use for which directions on which days, etc; and to replace the entire system for handling traffic and talking to the actual airplanes. The systems do need to evolve from time to time, but it usually happens in a lab first, then at a few lower-traffic locations (which are easier to "get away from" if the new system has a failure, etc. THEN it will be rolled out to busier locations once the kinks are worked out.
This is also why crazy new medical procedures or treatments start with small groups of test subjects (often people with very advanced or unusual cases) rather than on a random person for whom the current treatment will probably work fine. You start at the edges and work your way up rather than just cutting open the entire population with an untested idea.
DOGE wants to be overconfident and just plop down new equipment and new software and all new operators all at once. Anyone who has ever spent any time installing new, untested process or equipment has experienced the occasional failure -- to fail is part of evolving to the new thing. But failure in air safety systems means people get dead, which is why new systems are tested in a simulation first, then in a place where you can recover from a failure safely, and then in the big show.
- - -
The "spike" of air crashes recently is mostly a confluence, I think, and that hasn't really deterred many people from flying, so far. SO FAR none of the incidents that have made the news in US aviation have been due to changes DOGE wants to make at the FAA. That can change (obviously), but so far the crashes have all been related to individual errors rather than a gap in the system, so passengers are still comfortable making flights.
Drew707@reddit
Really depends on the airports involved. If I fly out of my local airport, I can be from my driveway to my gate in less than 30 minutes. It's a really nice experience with a beautiful new terminal. The downside is there are fewer flight options, and the tickets are more expensive, but I save on drive time and parking compared to our international airports.
I'm PreCheck, so, they run my bags through the X-ray and I get to walk through the metal detector without taking my shoes off. At the bigger airports, the PreCheck line can be longer as more people are signing up. Enforcement of toothpaste size at security is quite random. If you fly on a carrier that operates under an air taxi license like JSX, security is almost nonexistent. It's a fun experience that kinda reminds me of my young memories from the before times.
Your inflight experience will vary depending on your carrier. I think SWA is the best bang for your buck with their bag policy, although I've heard that might be changing. Alaska is usually my choice when flying out of my local airport. Budget carriers like Spirit will nickel and dime you on everything. Your ticket is pretty much a seat and a small bag and that's it. They also cram more chairs in the cabin so legroom can suck, especially if you're 6'2" and most of that is in your legs like me.
My favorite airports are usually ones that are the smaller regional option in a larger metro with a main international airport. Like SNA/BUR/ONT over LAX, or OAK over SFO, although SFO has improved greatly (the drive just kinda sucks from where I am). RNO is a good airport, so is PDX and LAS. SEA is annoyingly far from downtown. Nothing really stands out to me about PHX. DEN is fine as long as you mind the reptilians and the Blucifer.
ryguymcsly@reddit
Checking baggage is silly. You have to print your tags, and then you have to talk to an actual human even though you printed your tags and already answered all the questions, and they will yell at you if you're over weight for your bags or if they're not closed properly or you have locks, etc. Slot 20 minutes for this process because it's also different between each airline and each airline has its own area for that, and each has different levels of staff.
Second is that security here sucks. I'm not saying that it isn't effective, that's a different conversation and I might also say that, but dealing with it as a passenger blows. In the EU y'all are pretty sensible about security and the flow is pretty fast. Here expect to spend a minimum of half an hour waiting in line to get through security, more likely a full hour if it's during a busy time of day. Expect to empty your bags of all electronics, take off your shoes, belts, jackets, then you get scanned by a full body scanner where someone in a room looks at a 3d model of your junk but mostly just checks to make sure you're not covered in weapons like John Wick.
After that a bunch of people who have no idea how to queue will dive in and hold their bins preventing your bin of baggage from coming down the conveyor to where you're standing, shoeless and beltless, and maybe there is a chair to sit in to put your shoes back on you only have to walk 3 or 4m for. You're expected to re-pack your bags in front of the conveyor which is the least efficient use of time and space ever.
At this point it's probably been close to an hour since you got to the airport, you're finally through security, wearing shoes again, and have your carry on luggage. Now you have to get to your gate. The airport will be familiar to you if you've been in any other airport ever. If you're coming from outside the US you will note that most airports do not have smoking lounges. This might be ok for you, but it might be incredibly irritating if not. If you're lucky you're in a smaller airport and finding your gate is easy. Larger airports it can take a long time to get to your gate, especially if you made the mistake of going through security for the wrong terminal which they'll totally let you do. Sometimes that means going through security all over again, sometimes it means taking a shuttle or walking between terminals which takes another 20 minutes or so.
The rest you'll be familiar with, except boarding is a bit more of a shitshow with everyone standing up and queuing up as soon as boarding is announced instead of waiting for their group to be called. There's usually enough space in front of all the gates for all the passengers to hang out, and you almost certainly won't have the experience of getting on a shuttle bus from the terminal to where your airplane is parked on the tarmac.
As for the flight itself, if you've flown in the EU be prepared for a slightly nicer flight experience. The flight attendants will be more friendly, and the plane will both climb and turn at less steep angles than you're used to.
Deplaning and picking up your luggage is pretty much the same as everywhere else. Just wait for your turn to get off the plane, go to the carousel and pick up your bags, and leave. No passport control, ID, or customs.
TL;DR: budget an extra hour for getting through all the airport bullshit on departure, otherwise it's functionally the same as whatever you're used to.
bones_bones1@reddit
It’s spring break. You don’t know to know. It’s not pretty.
BlowFish-w-o-Hootie@reddit
Same as it ever was.
kippersforbreakfast@reddit
Get pulled aside for "random" screening. Get your hands swiped for explosives. Everybody gets in line to enter the plane even though they're in group 5 or 6. Get told that there's limited overhead storage, so you have to "gate check" your bag. Arrive at your seat to find that some idiot who can't read a boarding pass is sitting in it.
Round_Skill8057@reddit
went to NYC and Huston last year. The security was tighter to visit the statue of liberty than it was to get on a domestic flight.
Communal-Lipstick@reddit
Same as it has been for the past 20 yrs.
Such-Mountain-6316@reddit
Flyers had best double check requirements at the last minute and be prepared for long lines. Also have a backup plan if you're trying any tricks to save money, in case they don't work.
As the saying goes, take half what you think you need and twice as much money.
XOMartha@reddit
Checks have gotten more lax lately at some places, due to staffing shortages… which is a lil concerning.
floofienewfie@reddit
Lax or LAX? Either one is a pain.
XOMartha@reddit
lax, as in in too chill. lol, but you’re not wrong.
Chemical-Home-2709@reddit
I flew out of Orange County last weekend and it was a million times better than LAX. A bit of longer uber ride but well worth it.
XOMartha@reddit
Oh, I meant lax like… relaxed security checks… not as thorough. but good to know, nonetheless!
floofienewfie@reddit
Same with Ontario and Burbank.
nopointers@reddit
Don’t worry, the Department of Government Efficiency will fix all that!
/s, for the non-Americans here. I have to assume the Americans all recognize the sarcasm without it.
XOMartha@reddit
They’ll eliminate the TSA, so we can check ourselves. MUCH more efficient!
FishrNC@reddit
Absolutely routine. Get your boarding pass, go through the TSA security inspection, go to the gate, and board when called.
bmadisonthrowaway@reddit
I would assume it's normal as compared to a year ago, 2 years ago, 5 years ago, etc. aside from 84.7% of flights landing upside down.
(joke)
It's also not any different from flying domestically in any other country I've ever traveled in, with the possible exception of Colombia, where each gate in the airport has its own entirely separate set of security checkpoints you must go through anytime you enter or leave the gate for any reason, even after checking in and entering the departure concourse. I gather there are a few other countries that handle it this way, as well.
But being "past airport security" flying domestically in the US is not really any different than the same situation in Heathrow, CDG, Zurich, Istanbul, Mumbai, Shanghai, Narita, or any other large and complex airport in a relatively developed part of the world.
Many large US international airports have a separate terminal where "international" airlines arrive and depart from (I'm thinking especially of Tom Bradley Terminal at LAX, though other versions of this exist), so if you've been somewhere like that, rest assured that the "domestic" terminals are identical except they only serve Delta, American, United, Southwest, et al.
terryaugiesaws@reddit
Time consuming, expensive, and crowded. But i chose times and days that there will be no security lines and i haven't give myself a 2-hour pre-flight window in years.
RioTheLeoo@reddit
I hate it lowkey. LAX expanded recently so now sometimes you have to take a shuttle to a terminal off in the distance. It’s super annoying, especially when you’re getting back
DeadSharkEyes@reddit
I flew just last weekend, maybe because it was the weekend of St. Patrick's holiday but it was a breeze. I flew Southwest and both flights there and back weren't full. I like the aisle and the middle seat was not taken on both flights. It was great!
photochic1124@reddit
I flew round trip from LGA to New Orleans last week. It was the same as always. I decline the newer TSA facial recognition though. The flight was delayed about 3 hours if that interests you.
seaburno@reddit
I've flown 10 times (5 round trips) since 1/1/25. I flew 18 domestic round trips in 2024 (plus 1 international round trip).
The lines at security are slightly better than they were last year (think waiting 4 minutes instead of 5), and there are slightly fewer people on planes than last year (think 138 people on a plane instead of 140). There are more vacancies in the shops/restaurants in the airports (a trend over the last 3-4 years) Other than that, its the same as its been for quite a while.
Word2DWise@reddit
Just like it has been since 9/11, a pain in the ass, but having access to lounges, Pre-TSA, Clear, and global entry definitely helps make the experience more paletable.
Danibear285@reddit
It’s normal if you don’t read sensationalist media
The12th_secret_spice@reddit
There’s too many variables to give you an answer. It’s pretty much the same as always, but your experience will vary widely depending on the airport (security, getting to the terminal, parking/lyft, etc).
My main airport is one of the busiest in the world and I don’t have any issues (I also have tsa precheck and clear, which helps expedite things)
teacherinthemiddle@reddit
It is constantly crowded, even in the off-season, in Vegas International. Tourism is still booming.
Snoo_90208@reddit
It's like what I imagine Pergurtory to be like. But, then, that is how it usually is. Especially if you fly out of LAX. Why do you ask?
Desert-daydreamer@reddit
Super easy! I fly a lot so I have TSA precheck and I am always through security in like 10 minutes
Gold_Telephone_7192@reddit
Same as it's always been. Wait in line, show your ID, look at a camera, go through security (taking your shoes and belt off if you're in regular security), put your bag on the conveyor belt, walk through a human scanner, go to your gate, show boarding pass, go to your seat, fly.
chateaulove@reddit
I can't say I agree with people saying it's "smooth". Honestly, it's been a pain for me flying domestically recently. Over the past year, the amount of delays I have experienced on simple, short-haul flights is absurd. I've seen a marked increase in delays in recent years. It's incredibly frustrating given the price of plane tickets.
But if you're talking about political issues or drama, I haven't dealt with that.
QuietObserver75@reddit
As opposed to what exactly? Is this a question in response to something you recently read or saw?
Ok-Sundae4092@reddit
Flew last week. Easy
willk95@reddit
Fairly normal, with typical stress that comes from airports of "can I make it to my gate in time?"
Most annoying thing is long lines and going through security screening, sometimes getting stopped if you have a nail clipper or other metal anomaly in your backpack
Grundens@reddit
normal
sideshow--@reddit
Pretty easy and smooth, even if the tickets themselves are quite expensive at the moment.
elphaba00@reddit
Agree. I flew about a month ago, and I think back to when I first went on an airplane. Back then, everything was on paper so we had to keep everything straight and organized. If there was a gate change or delay, we wouldn't know. Now we've got everything on our phones. That just gets scanned. The airlines update everything through the apps so everyone is in the know.
The only thing that is a pain is getting off the plane and waiting for everyone in front of you to unload their carry-ons. Because everyone brought a carry-on.
FirefighterRude9219@reddit
Even when flying domestic, there are 2-3 USCIS checkpoints. That’s really depressing.
G00dSh0tJans0n@reddit
Not much changed in recent years. I have TSA Pre Check which makes things fairly quick as I get to use a generally shorter line. I still like to get to the airport 2 hours early if possible, mostly because I have anxiety about running late.
I mostly fly through smaller airports such as Raleigh, Midland, El Paso, Chicago-Midway but I've flow through New York-JFK, Chicago-O'Hare, Atlanta, etc.
Right now my favorite airport is Midland/Odessa because I can get my rental truck while I'm also watching for my bags on the conveyer behind me. TSA is so small pre-check uses the employee line, stuff like that. Small and efficient little airport.
ATLien_3000@reddit
Why would anything be different?
Amazing-Level-6659@reddit
We just flew California to Florida via Houston. No issues - everything was the same as usual. Hoping our return trip is just as smooth. Were you asking about something in particular? Cause it’s pretty much business as usual.
Extension_Camel_3844@reddit
Every airport is different in many ways, a lot would depend on where flying into/out of.
BingBongDingDong222@reddit
The same