PHL Restores Full TSA Operations To Tackle Holiday Travel
All TSA security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) are set to fully reopen by Friday, just ahead of the Thanksgiving travel surge, airport officials announced Wednesday.
The move restores operations at the Terminal A-West and Terminal F checkpoints, which were closed on Nov. 5 amid staffing strains tied to the federal government shutdown.
When reopened, the Terminal A-West checkpoint will operate from 5:00 a.m. to 10:15 p.m., and the Terminal F checkpoint from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., returning to their normal schedules.
Airport officials say the timing is crucial: they expect nearly 1 million passengers to pass through PHL between Friday and the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The Sunday after the holiday is forecast to be the single busiest travel day.
“This is a major relief for travelers and staff alike,” said a PHL spokesperson, noting that restoring all checkpoints will help ease congestion during peak holiday traffic.
The checkpoint closures were originally implemented by TSA to consolidate staffing across terminals, allowing more efficient operations at remaining open checkpoints in Terminals A-East, B, C, and D/E.
The reopening comes as the FAA lifts earlier flight restrictions that were imposed during the shutdown. With full checkpoint access resuming and flight schedules normalizing, PHL is bracing for a smoother but busy holiday travel period.
Travelers are still encouraged to arrive early: the airport recommends at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures.
