Nothing ruins a trip start like standing in security for forty-five minutes while your group watches from the other side. You know the type: the person who doesn’t have their boarding pass ready, forgot to take off their belt, and somehow has three liquids in a single bag.
I’ve spent years observing TSA agents and frequent flyers. The people who breeze through security aren’t luckier—they’ve learned the system. Here’s what actually works.
Before You Leave Home
Dress for the Occasion
The fastest way through security is wearing the right clothes. Skip the belt entirely if you can. Wear slip-on shoes instead of laces. Avoid anything with metal buttons, snaps, or embellishments.
This isn’t about comfort—it’s about speed. The person in sneakers and a t-shirt clears security in ninety seconds. The one in boots and a belt-heavy jacket? They’re still unpacking at the conveyor belt while your plane boards.
If you’re wearing a jacket or hoodie, take it off before you reach the line. Hold it in your hands along with your liquids bag. This lets you place everything in bins immediately without fumbling.
Pre-Prep Your Bag
This is the mistake that causes the biggest delays: pulling out your laptop at the last second.
Before you leave home, put your liquids in a clear, quart-sized bag. Keep this in an outer pocket of your carry-on. Same with your laptop—if your bag has a dedicated laptop compartment that lays flat, leave it there. If not, put it in an accessible spot.
Remove your phone, wallet, keys, and watch before you get in line. Put them in your jacket pocket or a bin with your shoes. The goal: when you reach the conveyor, everything comes out in one motion.
The Queue Strategy
Positioning Matters
Where you stand in line affects your wait time more than you’d think.
TSA lines split at the scanner. The left lane often has more first-class and status passengers. The right lane processes families with strollers. The middle lane? Usually the slowest—everyone thinks it’s the “regular” line.
But here’s the real secret: watch the officers, not the signs. An officer waving more people toward a lane is faster. One carefully inspecting each passenger? Stay away.
Also worth knowing: the first hour after the airport opens is chaos. The last hour before a bank of flights leave? Everyone rushes. The sweet spot is mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Have Your Documents Ready
This should be obvious, but it isn’t.
Have your boarding pass on your phone with the screen already awake, or printed and in your hand. Your ID should be in your other hand. Don’t be the person scrolling through emails looking for their confirmation.
Officers notice. When you present documents already in hand, they see someone who respects their time. You might just get a faster, friendlier interaction.
At the Scanner
The Bin Game
How you pack bins determines how fast you move.
Large bin: shoes, jacket, liquids bag. Small bin: laptop, tablet, anything electronic. Keep bins to one layer—no stacking items.
Place everything facing the same direction. Shoes side by side, not stacked. The x-ray machine reads flat items faster.
If you’re traveling with a companion, coordinate bin loading. One person loads while other gathers bins from the return. Don’t wait until you’re both empty—that’s when the backup starts.
The Belt Trick
When bins return on the conveyor, grab yours immediately. Move to the seating area, get dressed, then consolidate.
The mistake most people make: getting dressed right at the belt, blocking the flow. Step aside, get dressed, then grab your bags.
Also: check the bin return conveyor, not just the bin. Sometimes your phone slides under your bin. Check behind you before walking away.
What TSA Actually Wants You to Know
The Liquid Rule (Updated for 2026)
Here’s what changed recently: you can now bring through a slightly larger quantity if it’s in a single, resealable container. But the 3-1-1 rule (3.4 ounces, 1 quart bag, 1 per person) still applies to multiple containers.
The real tip: just buy water after security. A bottle costs two dollars instead of risking confiscation. Same with snacks—wait until you’re past the checkpoint.
Medications get special treatment. Declare them before screening. Keep them in original containers with prescription labels. This isn’t the time for pill organizers.
The “Extra” Stuff
TSA PreCheck lanes have changed recently. Global Entry members now get PreCheck automatically on most airlines. Check your boarding pass—if it says “TSA Pre” or has a TSA symbol, you can skip removing liquids and laptops.
Clear members have their own lanes with biometric verification. Still faster than standard, but the gap has closed.
If you’re not in either program and fly several times a year, the $85 for PreCheck (valid five years) pays for itself in about four trips.
Special Situations
Traveling with Kids
Kids under 12 can keep their shoes on in most lanes. Strollers and car seats go through the x-ray—you’ll need to take your child out before folding the stroller.
The family lane isn’t always faster. Sometimes it’s slower because families have more stuff. If your kids are independent travelers, standard lanes might move faster.
Medical and Mobility Needs
TSA officers are trained to assist. Just ask. If you can’t stand for the scanner, request a private screening. If you have a prosthetic or medical device, tell the screening officer before begins.
Traveling with a CPAP machine? It needs to be screened separately. Pack it in an accessible spot and notify the officer.
The Bottom Line
Airport security isn’t as mysterious as it seems. The people who move through fastest have simply learned the system.
Dress right. Prepare your bag before you arrive. Have documents ready. Load bins efficiently. Move aside after scanning.
Do these things, and you’ll be the one watching everyone else fumble while you breeze toward your gate.
