The TSA no longer requires travelers to remove their shoes at security screenings. Getty file photo
   

 

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  TSA Ends 23-Year Shoe Removal Requirement at Airport Security Checkpoints

Homeland Security Secretary announces immediate nationwide policy change improving travel experience

Li Haung - National-Politics
Tell Us USA News Network

WASHINGTON - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has officially ended its longstanding requirement for passengers to remove their shoes during airport security screening, marking the end of a policy that has been in place for nearly two decades.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the policy change on Tuesday, confirming that passengers at airports across the U.S. no longer have to remove their shoes during regular TSA security checks, with the change taking effect immediately for airports nationwide.

"TSA will no longer require travelers to remove their shoes when they go through our security checkpoints," Noem said. "We want to improve this travel experience, but while maintaining safety standards and making sure that we are keeping people safe."

The shoe removal policy was first implemented in December 2001 following the failed "shoe bomber" attempt by Richard Reid on a transatlantic flight. This marks the first time in 19 years that general passengers can skip the TSA's footwear removal policy.

According to Noem, the change was made possible because "our security technology has changed," indicating that advances in screening equipment now allow TSA agents to detect potential threats without requiring passengers to remove their shoes.

The policy change affects all domestic airports and applies to travelers in regular security lanes. Previously, only passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck were allowed to keep their shoes on during screening. Some sources indicate that enforcement of shoe removal had already been inconsistent in recent months at various airports.

An unexpected memo went out to TSA officers across the country last week stating the new policy will allow all passengers to keep their shoes on in all screening lanes at many airports across the country, starting Sunday.

The announcement comes as part of broader efforts to streamline the airport security experience while maintaining safety standards. According to the official TSA press release, the new policy will "increase hospitality" for travelers passing through security checkpoints.

Some reports suggest that the new rule may specifically affect travelers using a REAL ID, though official confirmation of this detail is still pending from TSA officials.

The policy change is expected to significantly reduce wait times at security checkpoints across the country, as shoe removal has been one of the most time-consuming aspects of the screening process. For millions of American travelers, this represents a major improvement in the airport experience that has remained largely unchanged since the early 2000s.

The TSA has not yet announced whether additional security screening modifications are planned for the future, but this change signals the agency's commitment to leveraging technological advances to improve the travel experience while maintaining security standards.








 


 

                      

 
 

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