What To Know About the TSA’s New Family Screening Lines

The memories we make on family vacations are priceless, but getting through the airport with young kids also comes with its fair share of stress. If you’re planning to travel soon with the family in tow (or know someone who is), we have good news: The TSA has introduced new dedicated screening lanes at select U.S. airports to allow families with children to pass through security checkpoints more easily, which should lead to fewer headaches for everyone. Here are all the details and where you can find the TSA’s new family lanes. 

The TSA’s “Families on the Fly” Program

Anyone who’s traveled with little ones before will tell you it can be a stressful juggling act. Between wrangling distracted toddlers, folding strollers, and carrying extra diaper bags and backpacks full of games and toys, the security screening process for families can be time-consuming and cumbersome. By offering dedicated screening lanes, the TSA’s new “Families on the Fly” aims to make the security experience smoother and quicker for both families and the other passengers in line behind them.

According to a TSA press release, the goal of the program is “to mitigate the unique challenges families face when traveling and minimize stress while maintaining the highest level of security.” Families traveling with children ages 12 and younger — including all adults in the party — are eligible (but not required) to use the lanes. 

While the family lanes should help remove bottlenecks, one of the best ways to speed through security is still to enroll in TSA PreCheck, which offers quicker screening without the need to remove laptops. Children ages 17 and under can go through the TSA PreCheck lane with their enrolled parents, as long as they are traveling on the same reservation. 

As part of the new family initiatives, the TSA has also introduced dedicated PreCheck lanes for service members and their families. Plus, through October 31, 2025, the TSA is offering families a $15 discount on new enrollments in PreCheck. 

Which Airports Will Have Family Screening Lanes?

The TSA’s new family screening lanes debuted in July at Orlando International Airport — which makes perfect sense, given its proximity to theme parks that are popular with young kids — and at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, a major hub for American Airlines.

As of late August, expect to find family lanes staffed by dedicated TSA officers at the following airports: 

• Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT), North Carolina
• Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii
• John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA), California
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), Puerto Rico
• Orlando International Airport (MCO), Florida
• Oklahoma City Will Rogers International Airport (OKC), Oklahoma 
• Providence T. F. Green International Airport (PVD), Rhode Island

The TSA says the program will be rolling out to select airports across the country “in the coming months,” according to the press release.

Other Recent TSA Changes

The news for families comes on the heels of another major TSA announcement: As of July 2025, passengers are no longer required to remove their shoes for standard security checks. 

In a statement explaining the change, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, whose department oversees the TSA, explained, “In those 20 years since that policy was put in place, our security technology has changed dramatically. It’s evolved.” She added, “We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints.” 

The agency is also expanding its Touchless ID program to additional airports. The biometric technology aims to further reduce wait times since passengers don’t need to fumble in their bag to show their ID or boarding pass as they pass through the checkpoint. Biometric screening is also being tested at departure gates at select airports. Remember, you can always opt out of facial recognition, but if you do, make sure to bring your REAL ID, which is required to board domestic flights as of May this year. 

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