Travelore Tips: How To Avoid Problems With The New TSA Scanners

If you have flown recently, you may have noticed new, high-tech machines at the security checkpoint. The TSA has been busy upgrading airport security with state-of-the-art Computed Tomography (CT) scanners. While these new machines are designed to enhance security and eventually speed up the screening process, they do have a learning curve. Here are our top tips to help you breeze through the new TSA scanners without a hitch.

1. Beware of the "Bulge": Measure Your Packed Bag

The new CT scanners feature a tunnel opening that measures 24.5 by 16.5 inches, which is slightly smaller than the older X-ray units. Because of this, bags that push the absolute limits of carry-on sizes—especially when overstuffed—might get stuck.

• Measure it fully packed: Ensure your bag fits standard dimensions even when the expansion zipper is fully utilized.
• Watch the hardware: Bulky protruding wheels, thick handles, and overstuffed exterior pockets are the main culprits that catch on the scanner.
• What happens if it doesn't fit: Officers will have to screen it by hand or divert you to a different lane, adding major delays to your trip.

2. Everything Goes In A Bin

If you are accustomed to dropping your suitcase right on the conveyor belt, you need to adjust your routine. With the new automated tray systems, every single item must be placed inside a bin for screening.

• Suitcases included: Your carry-on luggage, jacket, and personal items must all sit completely inside the bins.
• Don't force it: TSA agents advise passengers not to shove the bins through the scanner, as this can skew the images and force them to restart the screening process.

3. Leave Your Laptops and Liquids Packed

The biggest perk of the new CT scanners is the 3D imaging capability, which allows agents to view your bag from multiple angles. Because of this advanced technology, you no longer need to remove items from your bag, even if you are in a standard, non-PreCheck lane.

• Keep electronics packed: Laptops and tablets can remain safely inside your luggage.
• Keep liquids packed: You do not need to take out your toiletries. However, the standard 3-1-1 rule still applies, meaning liquids must be 3.4 ounces or less.

4. Photographers: Protect Your Unprocessed Film

If you travel with analog cameras, pay close attention: the new CT scanners are incredibly powerful and will destroy unprocessed film in a single pass, leaving distinctive banding patterns.

• Always request a hand inspection: It is your right under TSA policy to ask for your film to be inspected by hand.
• Pack it smartly: Remove film from cardboard boxes and store the loose rolls in a clear, quart-sized plastic bag so officers can inspect it quickly.
• Never check your film: Checked luggage scanners are even stronger and will completely ruin unprocessed film.

5. Rethink Your Airport Outfit

Alongside new baggage scanners, upgraded full-body passenger scanners are extremely sensitive and can flag common clothing items.

• Avoid rigid materials: Heavy belts, rigid waistbands, and large statement jewelry are notorious for triggering extra pat-downs.
• Mind your footwear: Certain shoes and chunky soles can also slow you down at the checkpoint.

TSA Warning: How To Protect Your Film Camera Gear From New Airport Scanners

If you’ve walked through an airport security checkpoint recently, you might have noticed some high-tech upgrades. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been actively deploying advanced 3D Computed Tomography (CT) scanners nationwide, backed by massive procurement contracts totaling up to $781.2 million.

For the average traveler, these machines are a massive win—they allow you to leave your laptops, liquids, and tablets tucked safely inside your bags, speeding up the line significantly.

However, the TSA has issued a quiet warning. While these advanced machines are great for efficiency, their incredibly powerful imaging technology can permanently damage or completely destroy certain passengers' belongings in a single pass. If you are a photographer, creative, or traditional overpacker, here is what you need to look out for.

---

The Hard Truth for Film Photographers

The group facing the greatest risk from the new $781 million rollout is anyone traveling with analog photography equipment.

Unlike the older generation of traditional, two-dimensional X-ray cabinets—which lower-speed films could usually survive for a few passes—these state-of-the-art CT scanners use high-powered, rotating 3D medical-grade imaging.

According to film laboratories and imaging experts, just a single pass through a checkpoint CT scanner can completely ruin unprocessed film. The damage isn’t just a subtle haze either; it manifests as distinct, unrecoverable linear banding, heavy stripes, and severe fogging across your negatives.

Every Stock is At Risk: While high-speed film (ISO 800 and above, like Portra 800 or Fujifilm Instax) is the most vulnerable, even standard consumer films (ISO 100 to 400) and specialty motion picture stocks are showing permanent damage.

---

The Sizing Tunnel Catch: Rigid Enforcement

The photographic danger isn't the only hidden snag. Experts are also warning that the physical footprint of these new CT scanners is changing how airlines enforce carry-on dimensions.

The entry tunnels on these new $781 million machines are typically slightly smaller and more rigid than the older X-ray units.

Historically, if your roller bag was stuffed to the brim or slightly over specifications, a lenient TSA officer could often push it through the flexible rubber flaps of the old machines. With the new scanners, if your bag cannot physically clear the tight entry frame, screening cannot proceed. Passengers with oversized or bulging bags are increasingly being turned away at the checkpoint and sent back to the ticket counter to pay unexpected checked baggage fees.

---

How to Protect Your Gear: The Airport Strategy

If you are traveling with traditional film, vintage cameras, or instant film, you have to actively change your airport routine:

1. Never Check Your Film: The heavy-duty CT scanners utilized for checked luggage are even more powerful than checkpoint machines and will instantly cause total destruction of your unexposed film. Always pack it in your carry-on.


2. The Clear Bag Method: Remove all film rolls or boxes from their canisters and plastic wrap, and place them inside a clear, quart-sized plastic bag. Keep this bag at the very top of your carry-on for easy access.


3. Request a Hand Inspection: When you reach the front of the line, hand the plastic bag directly to a TSA officer and explicitly ask for a physical hand inspection. Under TSA guidelines, passengers have the right to request a manual check for film equipment.


4. Arrive Early: A manual hand inspection requires a TSA officer to visually check the canisters and swab them for explosive residue. This process typically adds an extra 3 to 10 minutes to your screening time, so plan your arrival accordingly.

---

Have you encountered these new 3D scanners on your recent travels? Did you have any trouble getting a hand inspection for your gear? Let us know in the comments below!

TSA Remote Screening Program: How to Clear Security Before The Airport

Sitting in bumper-to-bumper airport traffic, nervously watching the minutes tick down to your departure time, is a universal travel nightmare. But what if you could completely skip the airport gridlock, bypass the chaotic terminal checkpoint, and arrive at the airport already cleared by security?

It sounds like a frequent flyer’s daydream, but it is officially a reality. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched a first-of-its-kind Remote Screening Pilot Program, designed to entirely rewrite the pre-flight playbook.

Here is everything you need to know about this game-changing initiative and how it could reshape the future of American travel.

---

What is the TSA Remote Screening Program?

Launched in June 2026, the remote screening program shifts the entire check-in and security process away from the airport itself and moves it to dedicated, off-site satellite terminals.

Instead of navigating crowded airport loops and massive security lines, travelers can park at a calm suburban terminal, check their luggage, clear a standard TSA security checkpoint, and step onto a secure shuttle bus. The bus then drives straight onto the airport tarmac, dropping passengers off directly on the airside (secure side) of the terminal—just steps from their departure gates.

The Core Concept: You do all the stressful, time-consuming airport chores in a low-congestion environment, ensuring that when you finally arrive at the actual airport, you are ready to board.

---

The Inaugural Pilot: Boston Logan & Framingham

The flagship launch of this program is a partnership between the TSA and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) at the Logan Airport Remote Terminal at Framingham, located about 23 miles west of Boston.

How It Works:

• Book Ahead: Eligible passengers can reserve their spot online anywhere from 90 days down to 90 minutes before their flight.


• Arrive & Check In: At the Framingham terminal, travelers print their boarding passes and hand over checked bags. The luggage is securely locked and integrated directly into the airport's baggage system.


• Clear TSA: Passengers go through a full, state-of-the-art TSA security checkpoint—including a TSA PreCheck® line—right there in the remote building.


• The Secure Ride: Cleared travelers board a Massport-operated Logan Express bus. Because the bus is entirely secure, it bypasses terminal traffic and unloads passengers directly inside the gate area.

The Fine Print (Cost & Eligibility):

• Price: An absolute steal at $9 per person one-way, while children under 18 ride for free with a ticketed adult.


• Parking: On-site parking at the remote terminal is a budget-friendly $7 a day (compared to hefty airport garage fees).


• Airlines: The initial pilot is available for passengers flying JetBlue or Delta Air Lines with flights departing between 5:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

---

Why This is a Win-Win for Travelers and Airports

The TSA’s push for remote terminals isn't just about making the morning easier for vacationers—it addresses major structural issues plaguing modern aviation infrastructure:

• Alleviating Roadway Congestion: By intercepting thousands of passengers miles before they reach the airport, cities can drastically cut down on bumper-to-bumper traffic on airport access roads.


• Smoothing Out Peak Checkpoint Waves: Spreading security screening across multiple physical locations prevents bottlenecking at main airport terminals during early morning and afternoon rush hours.


• A Visual Treat for AvGeeks: Because the secure buses drop passengers off ramp-side, travelers get a unique, up-close view of the aircraft on the tarmac as they walk into the terminal.

---

Is Remote Screening Coming to an Airport Near You?

While the Boston/Framingham setup is the most fully integrated "suburban-to-gate" pilot of its kind, the TSA has noted that the framework is being watched incredibly closely by airline leaders and industry officials nationwide.

The TSA has already authorized a handful of other remote screening concepts or similar off-site operations in major hubs like Los Angeles (LAX), Atlanta (ATL), and New York (JFK). If the initial rollout proves successful through its pilot phases, expect to see public-private partnerships expanding this blueprint to suburban centers and regional hubs across the United States.

The era of rushing to the airport hours early just to wait in a stagnant line might finally be coming to a close. For just $9, the TSA is proving that the "Golden Age of Travel" might just start in a parking lot 20 miles outside of town.

---

What do you think? Would you trade your standard airport routine to clear security in the suburbs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Travelore News: TSA Formalizes "TSA Gold+" Plan To Privatize Airport Security Checkpoints

If you’ve walked through an American airport recently, you know the routine: long lines, separating your electronics, and waiting on aging screening machinery to do its job. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wants to change that—but their latest plan is stirring up major debate across the aviation industry.

On May 15, 2026, the TSA officially took its most concrete step toward transforming airport checkpoints by releasing a pre-solicitation notice on SAM.gov for an initiative called TSA Gold+.Rather than a new premium tier for travelers (like TSA PreCheck or CLEAR), TSA Gold+ is a massive structural overhaul aimed at privatizing both the workforce and the technology at select U.S. airports.

What is TSA Gold+?

TSA Gold+ is a public-private partnership model designed to modernize airport security screening.The program builds heavily on the existing Screening Partnership Program (SPP). Under the standard SPP model—which currently runs at about 20 U.S. airports, including San Francisco International (SFO) and Kansas City International (MCI)—private contractors employ the security screeners, but the federal government still owns, procures, and maintains the physical screening equipment.

TSA Gold+ completely changes that dynamic. Under this new framework, private contractors will take over a 10-year integrated contract to manage both the workforce and the technology. This means private entities will handle:

Recruiting, hiring, and managing checkpoint personnel.

Buying, deploying, and maintaining advanced checkpoint technology.

Managing the upkeep of checked baggage screening systems.

The federal TSA will step back into a strictly regulatory role—setting security metrics, conducting audits, and certifying equipment, while leaving the day-to-day operations to the private sector.

Why is the TSA Doing This?

The simple answer is budget pressure and aging infrastructure.

The TSA has been squeezed by skyrocketing equipment maintenance costs and a massive 30% pay raise awarded to Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) in 2023. Consequently, the agency's rollout of advanced Computed Tomography (CT) baggage scanners has slowed down significantly, with current federal budget projections stretching completion out into the 2040s.

By shifting to the TSA Gold+ model, the agency is looking to inject private capital into the system. Private contractors can bypass lengthy federal procurement budget cycles, allowing them to buy and deploy cutting-edge AI-driven threat detection, biometrics, and automated screening systems much faster than the government can.

What Does This Mean for Travelers?

If you are worried about security standards slipping, the TSA insists that won't happen. Federal training standards, performance testing, and background vetting will remain strictly under federal oversight.

For the everyday passenger, flying out of a "Gold+ Airport" could eventually mean:

Faster Throughput: More advanced scanners and automated lines that reduce manual bag checks.

Agile Staffing: Private contractors will have more flexibility to adjust staffing models and bring in surge personnel during peak holidays.

Next-Gen Tech: Quicker integration with digital ID platforms, mobile apps, and remote screening centers.

However, the program is entirely voluntary. Individual airports must actively choose to opt-in to the Gold+ model, and many airport authorities may wait on the sidelines to see how smoothly the initial transitions go before taking the risk.

What’s Next?

The TSA is moving quickly to gather feedback on the draft requirements. The agency is hosting an Industry Day on May 21, 2026, at its headquarters in Springfield, Virginia, to pitch the plan to private security firms, technology vendors, and airport managers.

While the concept promises a smoother, more high-tech experience at the gate, it faces heavy skepticism from federal employee unions and industry groups who want more clarity on how a private takeover of federal security infrastructure will play out in real-time.

How To Avoid Long TSA Lines On Your Next Flight #TSA

Photo: Scott Olson, Getty Images)

You’ve probably already heard horror stories about unusually long TSA security lines at airports, which may only get worse as the summer travel crush adds more travelers.

While we wait for the TSA to fix this (mainly by adding more employees and trying to keep the ones they have), here are some strategies to make sure you don’t miss your flight.

USA TODAY

Long TSA line strands 450 fliers overnight as woes expand

Get to the airport super early. If you hate waiting at airports this might be a good time to splurge for an airline lounge day pass. American, for example, charges $50 for aone-day pass.

Plan to arrive at the very least two hours before boarding for domestic, three to four hours for international. But for some airports, such as Miami when the cruise ships come in, even two hours might not be enough.

Perhaps the best advice is to sign up (now!) for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. I prefer Global Entry because it includes PreCheck and it’s good for five years for a $100 fee. Some premium credit cards, such as the Amex Platinum Card, reimburse the fee.

USA TODAY

What is TSA's PreCheck expedited screening program?

The only problem with PreCheck is that at some airports the special lines are only open for a few hours a day, again because of staffing shortages. But not only are the lines much shorter than regular TSA lines, you don’t have to take out your laptop and liquids, and you can leave your shoes and light jacket on.

Another hack: Buy priority access to TSA lines such as JetBlue's "even more speed," which gives you expedited lines through TSA.  United has a similar program called Premier Access, which starts at $15. Delta calls it “Sky Priority” and it’s available at select airports.

Fly from less busy airports. If you live on Long Island, fly from Islip rather than from JFK, for example.  Long Beach usually has shorter lines than LAX, and so on.

USA TODAY

Five questions about extremely long airport security lines

Try to fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday when airports are less busy. Some times of the day (such as midday) are slower than during the morning and evening rush, so lines should be shorter.

If you really want to make your plane on time and you fly Delta, their VIP Select Service is offered at LAX, JFK, San Francisco, LaGuardia and Atlanta. For $250, on top of any Delta fare, you get escorted to the front of the TSA line and even get a transfer between flights via a private car service on the tarmac, plus other VIP perks such as Skyclub lounge access (book via Delta's VIP phone line at 855-235-9847). American has a similar program but it’s only available to business- and first-class passengers.

By George Hobica, the founder of Airfarewatchdog.com. Airfarewatchdog features the best airfares on thousands of routes verified by a team of expert fare analysts.

Some US-bound Air Travelers Must Turn On Phones

Contributed by Will Lester, AP

FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2012, file photo, passengers queue up for a security check at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China. The Transportation Security Administration is requiring passengers at some overseas airports that offer U.S.-bound flights to power on their electronic devices, the agency said Sunday, July 6, 2014. It says devices that won’t power up won’t be allowed on planes, and those travelers may have to undergo additional screening. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

 Passengers at some overseas airports that offer U.S.-bound flights will soon be required to power on their electronic devices in order to board their flights. The measure is intended to enhance aviation security at a time of increased threats.

The Transportation Security Administration says it is adding the requirement that passengers coming to the U.S. from some airports must turn on devices such as cellphones before boarding. It says devices that won't power up won't be allowed on planes and those travelers may have to undergo additional screening.

"As the traveling public knows, all electronic devices are screened by security officers," the TSA said in the Sunday release announcing the new steps.

American intelligence officials have been concerned about new al-Qaida efforts to produce a bomb that would go undetected through airport security. There is no indication that such a bomb has been created or that there's a specific threat to the U.S.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson recently ordered the TSA to call for extra security measures at some international airports with direct flights to the United States. TSA does not conduct screening abroad, but has the ability to set screening criteria and processes for flights flying to the U.S. from abroad, according to a Homeland Security Department official, who was not allowed to discuss the changes publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

During an interview aired Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press," Johnson declined to speculate on whether new security procedures called for overseas will be required at domestic airports in the future.

"We continue to evaluate things," he said. "The screening we have right domestically from one domestic airport to another is pretty robust, as the American traveling public knows. In this instance we felt that it was important to crank it up some at the last point of departure airports and we'll continually evaluate the situation."

TSA will not disclose which airports will be conducting the additional screening. Industry data show that more than 250 foreign airports offer nonstop service to the U.S.

Aviation remains an attractive target to global terrorists, who are consistently looking for ways to circumvent airport security measures, the DHS official said. Some details on specific enhancements and locations are sensitive because U.S. officials do not want to give information "to those who would do us harm," the official said.

American intelligence officials said earlier this week that they have picked up indications that bomb makers from Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula have traveled to Syria to link up with the al-Qaida affiliate there.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula long has been fixated on bringing down airplanes with hidden explosives. It was behind failed and thwarted plots involving suicide bombers with explosives designed to be hidden inside underwear and explosives secreted inside printer cartridges shipped on cargo planes.

Over the past year, Americans and others from the West have traveled to Syria to join the fight against the Syrian government. The fear is that a fighter with a U.S. or other Western passport, who therefore may be subject to less stringent security screening, could carry such a bomb onto an American plane.

TSA Eliminates All Invasive X-Ray Machines

Contributed by Ben Popken NBC News

May 30, 2013 at 5:12 PM ET

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Transportation Security Administration Security Officer Nyamsi Tchapleu looks at images created by a "backscatter" scanner during a demonstration at the Transportation Security Administration's Systems Integration Facility at Ronald Reagan National Airport December 30, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia.

The Transportation Security Administration announced it has finished removing from all airports the X-ray technology that produced graphic and controversial images of passengers passing through security screening checkpoints.

TSA

An image released by the TSA showing how the new passenger screenings will appear to operators.

In a letter released Thursday, TSA administrator John Pistole told the House Homeland Security committee that as of May 16, all US airports scanners equipped with the ability to produce the penetrating images will now only show a generic outline of a passenger to the operator. A colored box pops up if the full-body scanner detects a potentially forbidden item.

The TSA beat their deadline by two weeks for modifying the scanners. The technology was originally mandated to be removed by June 2012 under the Federal Aviation Administration's Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, but the deadline was extended to May 31, 2013.

The machines, which the TSA first deployed in 2008, provoked public outrage as the technology, better able than traditional X-rays to detect hidden contraband, also created images that appeared as if they were "virtual nudes." Critics called this an invasion of privacy and questioned whether the scanning devices truly lacked the ability to save the images, as the TSA claimed.