Travel Tip – What To Know About Traveling During the U.S. Government Shutdown

traveling-during-us-government-shutdown-2013

Quite a mouthful, that title.  But so necessary right now.

Thanks to your votes to the question posed to my Facebook page, today’s post is what won out.  And given that I’ve traveled right before and after the government shutdown, I’m speaking from personal experience.

And I’m pleased to report that it’s not bad.

  • TSA officials and luggage checkers are, thankfully, deemed “essential personnel” by the US government.  That said, expect delays – particularly in smaller airports.  I flew through Philadelphia International yesterday and breezed through TSA PreCheck in no time.  My mother, who doesn’t have the same perk, got through security within 10 minutes.  (Bear in mind that mid-week, afternoon flights tend to have the lightest traffic, so plan to book this time, if you can, for travel during the shutdown).  As always, plan to get to the airport around 30 minutes earlier than usual to get through a less-staffed security checkpoint.
  • Border control lines have gotten increasingly worse over the years (especially since the last furlough), and they’ll continue to do so.  Plan on being stuck in line to clear customs when returning to the good ol’ USA while the government is in shutdown (unless you have Global Entry).  Keep a paper magazine, newspaper, or book on hand – they’ll ask you to turn off electronic devices while in line.  Really.
  • Passport and new Global Entry / TSA PreCheck applicants – I wish I had better news for you.  These gigs, unfortunately, are deemed “non-essential” and have been tightened due to the shutdown.  Expect delays on your applications until these employees get back to work.  Outsourced agencies for passports can’t help you here, as it depends on the State Department – which are unfortunately furloughed.

If your eyes just glazed over the above bullet points, know this – get the airport 30 minutes – 1 hour early, pack carry-on (and I can help with that!), and don’t expect any new passport or Global Entry/TSA PreCheck applications to be processed on time.

Your turn – have you traveled lately?  How was your experience?  COMMENT below and share your travel stories, and any tips you may have when it comes to traveling during a government shutdown.

original image via // graphic design by Hitha Palepu for Hitha On The Go