Security checks at US airports no longer mandate the removal of footwear.
In a significant move aimed at enhancing the traveler experience and streamlining airport security procedures, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that passengers no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings at US airports. This policy change, effective nationwide immediately, is a result of advancements in scanning and detection technology and changes within the TSA.
The TSA PreCheck program, one of the measures implemented to enhance airport security in recent decades, has played a crucial role in this policy change. Travellers participating in the TSA PreCheck program have been exempt from removing their shoes during security screenings for some time. Now, this privilege is extended to all passengers, regardless of their participation in the program.
The TSA PreCheck program, established two months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, under President George W. Bush, with the purpose of replacing private companies that handled airport security, is one of the advancements in security technology that contributed to the policy change allowing travellers to keep their shoes on during security screenings.
The requirement to remove shoes during security screenings was first implemented in 2006, following the failed attempt of "shoe bomber" Richard Reid to take down a flight from Paris to Miami in late 2001. However, advancements in security technology and changes within the TSA have made it possible for TSA officers to identify potential threats without requiring passengers to remove their shoes.
The TSA PreCheck program costs approximately $80 for a five-year duration, offering benefits such as bypassing the requirement to remove shoes, belts, light jackets, laptops, and bagged toiletries during security screenings. Passengers between the ages of 12 and 75 were previously required to remove their shoes during security screenings.
While passengers no longer need to remove their shoes, they should be prepared for additional layers of screening if necessary. The shoes of passengers will still be scanned along with carry-on luggage. Security screening procedures such as identity verification and checkpoint vetting remain in place, ensuring continued safety.
The change in policy is intended to provide hospitality to travellers while maintaining the same standard of security for passengers and the homeland. The TSA has consistently sought to improve its security measures over the years, including testing facial recognition technology and implementing Real ID requirements. A multi-layered whole of government approach to security is now in place.
Some airports have immediately implemented the new rule, while others are adopting it in phases. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, aims to improve the traveler experience and streamline the screening process by reducing wait times and inconvenience at security checkpoints. This change is expected to make air travel more comfortable and efficient for millions of passengers each year.
[1] Department of Homeland Security. (2025). TSA Announces End to Removing Shoes During Airport Security Screenings. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/07/07/tsa-announces-end-removing-shoes-during-airport-security-screenings [2] Transportation Security Administration. (2025). TSA Updates Security Procedures, Allows Passengers to Keep Shoes On. Retrieved from https://www.tsa.gov/news/2025/07/07/tsa-updates-security-procedures-allows-passengers-keep-shoes-on [3] United States Government Accountability Office. (2025). TSA PreCheck: Overview and Evaluation of Programme. Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-25-123 [4] Federal Aviation Administration. (2025). TSA Announces End to Removing Shoes During Airport Security Screenings. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=234661
- The TSA, following advancements in scanning and detection technology, has announced that passengers no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings at US airports, a significant change that aims to provide hospitality and streamline the traveler experience.
- In the news, the TSA PreCheck program, initially established to replace private companies handling airport security post-September 11, 2001, is one of the advancements in security technology that has led to this policy change, allowing passengers to keep their shoes on.
- The world of travel is now buzzing with the recent TSA announcement, as airports adopt the new rule in phases, aiming to reduce wait times and inconvenience at security checkpoints and making air travel more comfortable and efficient for millions of passengers each year.
- Arguably, the opinion regarding this change in TSA procedures is largely positive, as many believe that it represents a step forward in the integration of technology into our everyday lives, improving both our travel experience and airport security measures.
