Removing your shoes US airports

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TSA no longer requiring people to remove shoes at airport security. Is this policy in effect at all US airports? Have you been through an airport recently and didn't have to remove your shoes?

"The no-shoes rule was implemented by TSA nationwide in 2006. The official adoption of the rule came several years after Richard Reid, a British man who would come to be known as the “shoe bomber,” attempted to blow up an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami with explosives hidden in his shoe in December 2001. Reid failed to detonate the explosives, and the plane landed safely in Boston after passengers helped subdue him." CBS News

It took great leaders years to come up with the airport shoe removal policy? So what happened at airports for those 5 years from when that guy (Reid) to 2006? Were any security measures in place? cant recall what we actually did those years.

[Anonymous]

The discrepancy in rules at different airports is due to the level of equipment. The airports that have the upgraded scanners do not need you to take out liquids or take off shoes today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked how many travelers don’t pay for Pre. It’s $15/year.

It’s a lot easier to get today. Where u live you can get fingerprinted at Walgreens. The process is 5 min.

However, when I attempted to apply 3 to 4 years ago, I had to actually make an appointment at the airport 2 to 3 months in advance. And the thought of driving there and paying for parking and shuttling from the parking lot and back just wasn’t worth it to save 30 minute standing in line once or twice a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once you don’t have to take off your shoes pre-check isn’t gonna make any difference. It is not a big deal. I am a frequent traveler who does not have pre-check and it’s just fine.

A group of us were traveling and a few had pre-check and some without. Those that went thru the regular TSA line did take a bit longer, but they were at the gate 10 minutes after the ones that had PC.

It used to be that only frequent or business travelers had it but now a lot of casual travelers are getting it, so it doesn’t seem to be as much of a time saver as it used to be. It’s like “if everything is a priority then nothing is a priority.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once you don’t have to take off your shoes pre-check isn’t gonna make any difference. It is not a big deal. I am a frequent traveler who does not have pre-check and it’s just fine.

A group of us were traveling and a few had pre-check and some without. Those that went thru the regular TSA line did take a bit longer, but they were at the gate 10 minutes after the ones that had PC.

It used to be that only frequent or business travelers had it but now a lot of casual travelers are getting it, so it doesn’t seem to be as much of a time saver as it used to be. It’s like “if everything is a priority then nothing is a priority.”

Still faster probably 90% of the time.

Now Clear? Not even faster than PreCheck, because of the extra step to scan your eyes and boarding pass. That's faster than Precheck like 20% of the time. Totally a scam for those who pay out of pocket for it.

[Anonymous]

You do not need PreCheck
Lines are not that long except around holidays but then usually people are more tolerable around holidays so it's bearable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once you don’t have to take off your shoes pre-check isn’t gonna make any difference. It is not a big deal. I am a frequent traveler who does not have pre-check and it’s just fine.

A group of us were traveling and a few had pre-check and some without. Those that went thru the regular TSA line did take a bit longer, but they were at the gate 10 minutes after the ones that had PC.

It used to be that only frequent or business travelers had it but now a lot of casual travelers are getting it, so it doesn’t seem to be as much of a time saver as it used to be. It’s like “if everything is a priority then nothing is a priority.”

DH has precheck and takes the kids (not young — 10, 13) w him through security. I don’t have precheck and beat them through security 75% of the time. That’s my sample of 1 family. We flew on Sunday and I had to remove shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You do not need PreCheck
Lines are not that long except around holidays but then usually people are more tolerable around holidays so it's bearable

We will always have precheck regardless of time savings. One (now adult) kid has wearable medical devices that can’t go through the body scanner. Metal detector is fine. Until they get rid of body scanners (which will never happen) we’re sticking with precheck/clear to avoid a pat down every single time.

[Anonymous]

I have precheck because I have global entry and it's okay. In general I think the process has gotten better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once you don’t have to take off your shoes pre-check isn’t gonna make any difference. It is not a big deal. I am a frequent traveler who does not have pre-check and it’s just fine.

It absolutely matters at popular airports during busy times. Have you seen the TSA line in Orlando?? Pre/GE is so cheap I don’t know why you wouldn’t but I guess I am glad more people don’t. I actually have GE and it’s still cheap. Under $25/year. I can’t imagine giving it up.

You can reserve your spot in security now at MCO. They let you in through the Clear line. Took less than 10 minutes.

Pre-check may be cheap, but the hassle of getting it isn’t worth it to infrequent travelers.

[Anonymous]

We did not take off any shoes at JFK, Heathrow now CDG. We flew from June to yesterday.

[Anonymous]

https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2025/07/08/dhs-end-shoes-travel-policy

The change by TSA is now consistent with other airports globally-- have not had to take shoes off at Toronto Pearson for some time now and more recently, never in Australia and not in Hong Kong. They must all have the CT scanners because nothing had to be taken out of the bags.

Just put bags in the bins and then walk through XR.

Also immigration was self serve - scan your passport, get your photo taken, walk through to security. It took literally 15 min to move through lines for immigration and security to the gate in Hong Kong. You only have to arrive 1 hour before departure to check bags. 1 hour! Not 2-3 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once you don’t have to take off your shoes pre-check isn’t gonna make any difference. It is not a big deal. I am a frequent traveler who does not have pre-check and it’s just fine.

It absolutely matters at popular airports during busy times. Have you seen the TSA line in Orlando?? Pre/GE is so cheap I don’t know why you wouldn’t but I guess I am glad more people don’t. I actually have GE and it’s still cheap. Under $25/year. I can’t imagine giving it up.

You can reserve your spot in security now at MCO. They let you in through the Clear line. Took less than 10 minutes.

Pre-check may be cheap, but the hassle of getting it isn’t worth it to infrequent travelers.

That’s good to know. I’ll let my daughters dance team know for their annual competition trip there. About half the team does not have pre check so this will be great for them.

[Anonymous]

We went through regular security at IAD last week and did have to remove shoes.

I went through pre-check at BWI the week before so obviously kept shoes on but they had a sign saying no shoes off for regular security.

[Anonymous]

I have PreCheck, but good riddance to this garbage. Simply dumb.