You Don’t Have to Take Your Shoes Off at Airport Security Anymore, TSA Announces
For a lot of travelers, one of the biggest perks of TSA PreCheck is getting to keep your shoes on through the security line. No jumping on one foot while untying your sneakers, or getting grossed out by walking in socks or (dare we say!) barefoot on the airport floor. But now, all domestic travelers in the U.S. can keep their shoes on at TSA security checkpoints, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday.
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As The New York Times reported prior to the official announcement, the shoes-off policy was implemented by TSA (Transportation Security Administration) in 2006, “nearly five years after a terrorist tried to detonate an explosive in his shoe while aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami,” referring to the so-called “Shoe Bomber” Richard Reid.
Under the nearly two-decade-long policy, travelers younger than 12 and over 75 were exempt from the rule, along with those who paid the $80 to enroll in TSA PreCheck.
But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that passengers traveling through domestic security checkpoints will no longer have to remove their shoes.
“Ending the ‘Shoes-Off’ policy is the latest effort DHS is implementing to modernize and enhance traveler experience across our nation’s airports,” Noem said in a press release. “We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience.”
“As always, security remains our top priority. Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards,” she added, without providing additional details on what these security advancements are.
Though Noem told news outlets that the policy will go into effect immediately, it’s being rolled out at U.S. airports in phases, reports Forbes.
It’s reportedly already been implemented at New York City’s La Guardia Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, and will soon take effect at Baltimore/Washington, Fort Lauderdale, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Portland, Philadelphia, and North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad international airports.
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The New York Post previously reported that there will be some caveats that disqualify travelers from keeping their shoes on: “Passengers must be in possession of an approved, now-required Real ID, and must not require special screening.”
People who require special screening may include those on a no-fly list (or who have a name very similar to someone on a list), those who booked last-minute or one-way tickets, those who paid in cash, or those traveling to a country that the State Department considers “high-risk.”