As the shutdown lingers on with no end in sight many travelers are wondering how their upcoming trips may be affected.
The good news is at this point not much has changed for travelers.
“I need to renew my passport, will it come back before my trip?”
Currently passport processing is running as normal.
“Do I need to get to the airport extra early to be concerned with TSA shortages?”
While the Miami airport did temporarily close a terminal due to staffing shortages with TSA agents the affects have not been felt on a widespread basis just yet. This is certainly something to keep an eye on as the shutdown continues.
“Can I still use TSA Pre-check? ”
Yes, currently all airports that offer the service are still utilizing the benefits. Lines in Atlanta this week for “normal” security snaked through the airport were reported at one and a half to two hours long. However, the TSA released a statement on Tuesday reporting that waits in pre-check lines were less than 10 minutes.
“Will my Global Entry still work?”
Yes, the Global Entry Kiosks are still operational, however if you’ve applied for Global Entry and are waiting on your appointment, those will not resume until the shutdown has ended.
“I’m planning on going to the Grand Canyon this Spring, will I be able to get in? ”
Well, Spring is a long way off, but I’ll tell you that right now you can still get into the Grand Canyon and most National Parks. Concessions and lodges are up and running as well on normal schedules. The park programs and visitor centers that are staffed by park rangers have been suspended, but you may still visit currently. Please keep an eye on the news to see if this changes in the coming weeks or months should the shutdown continue
“With the current Brexit negotiations will my trip to Europe be affected?”
Great question and the answer right now is that it’s too early to tell. We will know more as the situation unfolds.
As always should you have questions or concerns regarding your travel, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, or any of the professionals here at Slaydon’s Travel.
Interested in more content like this? Sign up here: