Baltimore/Washington International Airport security lines ease slightly as TSA shortages persist, ICE agents remain on site

Bridget Byrne, The Baltimore Sun on Mar 29, 2026

Published in News & Features

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BALTIMORE — By Sunday afternoon, BWI Marshall Airport advised travelers to arrive three hours early as long security lines persisted, driven in part by staffing shortages among Transportation Security Administration officers.

This is a slight improvement from Saturday, when passengers waited for more than four hours. Sunday afternoon, there was still a line at security checkpoint C that spilled into the food court but was moving quickly, and a minimal line at checkpoint D/E.

Passengers at the end of the line at checkpoint C told The Baltimore Sun they had been waiting for five minutes Sunday afternoon.

“Passenger lines are short at this time and moving quickly. Those checkpoint lines will likely continue to fluctuate throughout the day,” spokesperson Johnathan Dean said in a statement. “We suggest passengers plan to arrive three hours ahead of their scheduled departures. We may alter that suggestion in coming hours or days, depending on conditions.”

Sunday morning, three checkpoints were open, according to Dean. He said checkpoints A, B and D/E were open, and those lines will likely continue to fluctuate throughout the day. By noon Sunday, checkpoint B had closed due to low staffing, according to Dean.

President Donald Trump signed an executive action Friday authorizing pay for TSA workers. TSA officers have been working without pay for more than 40 days amid the partial government shutdown.

More than 500 officers have quit and thousands more have called in sick while awaiting pay, according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson.

ICE agents were at the airport Sunday afternoon, patrolling near the garages and waiting area outside security checkpoints.

The Maryland Aviation Administration said it was informed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be deployed Saturday afternoon at BWI to assist TSA but was told ICE agents’ priority is to focus on security operations, not immigration enforcement.

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