The Transportation Security Administration has begun phasing out the long-standing requirement for passengers to remove their shoes at airport checkpoints.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced Tuesday the major policy change from TSA that may streamline airport security processes, reduce wait times, and improve the passenger experience nationwide.
The new policy applies initially to a set of pilot airports equipped with updated scanning technology and lower-risk profiles, with a broader national rollout expected to follow quickly.
The first airports to implement the change include:
- Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
- Portland International (PDX)
- Philadelphia International (PHL)
- Piedmont Triad International (GSO) in North Carolina
In addition, major hubs such as Los Angeles International (LAX) and New York’s LaGuardia (LGA) have already adopted the policy as part of TSA’s rapid deployment.
TSA officials confirmed that the change will apply to most travelers unless they trigger an alarm during screening. The agency emphasized that the new policy does not compromise safety; advanced scanning systems continue to detect concealed items without requiring shoe removal in most cases.
For Alaskans, the update is welcome news. Travelers in the state often wear heavy-duty boots due to rugged terrain, heavy work, and exposure to cold weather, making shoe removal at security checkpoints time-consuming and cumbersome. With TSA aiming to expand the policy nationwide, Alaska’s major airports may follow in the footsteps of the pilot airports.
The change is part of a broader modernization effort by the Department of Homeland Security to make air travel more efficient while maintaining security. The shoe removal rule, in place since 2001, has long been one of the most unpopular parts of the airport screening process.
What about shoe bombers? Remember those? The scariest part is that they usually travel in pairs.
They travel in pairs!
I see what you did there, very punny.
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Seriously though, the amount of explosive you can fit into the sole of a shoe is so small the only real damage would be to the bomber themselves. Yes, the aircraft would sustain damage, but enough to crash it? No, even if the bomber was sitting in exactly the right place.
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Most other countries have dropped the requirement to take off shoes, and curiously, those countries have not had a shoe bomber board and explode their feet.
Now for belts, next
Heavy alaskan boots alarm 9 times out of 9 so doesn’t change anything.
There is nothing about TSA screening that is popular.