TSA Issues Warning About Hawaii Airports This Summer

June 1, 2023 by Beat of Hawaii 17 Comments

TSA said it would allocate adequate staff at security checkpoints based on the anticipated number of travelers on any given day and time. Recently, over 200k travelers departed Hawaii airports during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Of those, over 113k were at Honolulu Airport alone.

Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Days: Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays.

General security screening: Less than 30 minutes.

TSA PreCheck screening: Less than 10 minutes.

"The rest of the country is finally catching up to what we have been seeing in Hawaii for some time. Air travel is back and it will continue to grow. That is why TSA began working on its summer travel staffing plan months ago to ensure that we would be prepared for high numbers of travelers – whether residents or tourists – who will come to our security checkpoints and expect high levels of security, efficient operations and a dose of Aloha. TSA will keep our security checkpoints staffed and utilize a variety of security assets including our explosive detection canines to ensure smooth travels for all." — TSA Federal Security Director for Hawaii and the Pacific Nanea Vasta.

Sometimes, those awaiting screening may exceed the capacity of security checkpoints. As a result, "TSA is advising all travelers to plan ahead and arrive early to complete every step of the airport travel process." Read on for more tips to know what you can expect at your Hawaii airport.

While children 12 and under were previously permitted to use TSA PreCheck when traveling with a parent or guardian on the same itinerary, now, teenagers aged 13-17 may also accompany TSA PreCheck enrolled parents or guardians through screening. Everyone must travel on the same reservation, and a TSA PreCheck indicator must appear on the teen's boarding pass.

Pack smart. TSA says to be aware of what's in your carry-on bags to avoid problems with non-permitted items.

Download MyTSA app. It's highly recommended to see the anticipated wait times for TSA before you leave for the airport. You can also use the "What Can I Bring?" feature. If in doubt, take a photo of an item and send it to @AskTSA on Twitter or Facebook Messenger for real-time assistance. You can also ask questions by texting "Travel" to AskTSA (275-872). We’ve contacted TSA before and found them helpful and timely with their response.

Empty pockets. This will speed up everyone's experience through the TSA process. TSA warns against leaving items in bins and suggests everything go in carry-on bags to avoid leaving something behind.

Listen for changes to TSA procedures. Hawaii airports may use technologies that change the rules that are in effect. At times, a boarding pass may not be required. And at other times, all items may be left in carry-on bags. TSA suggests listening to the current requirements from its officers.

Continue to follow the rules on liquids. That includes a 3.4-ounce maximum on sunscreen, creams, bug spray, and other liquids and aerosols in carry-on luggage.

Get your TSA PreCheck if you don't already have it. We can share from our experience that it regularly saves us a lot of time at Hawaii airports.

Be sure your TSA PreCheck's Known Traveler Number (KTN) appears in your reservation. Download the airline app and check your boarding pass for the TSA Pre-Check emblem. If it's not there, you can add the KTN on the App, and it should update the boarding pass immediately.

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