TSA Makes New Changes For Airline Travelers
WASHINGTON DC
July 23, 2025
Juggling your own liquids and electronics at airport security screenings is stressful enough — adding a wiggling toddler looking for an escape route, an overstimulated baby and a clunky stroller can equal skyrocketing stress levels.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is looking to ease that kind of stress. Last week, it announced the launch of the “Families on the Fly” campaign, describing it as “the latest [Transportation Security Administration] initiative designed to enhance hospitality for families during the airport security screening experience.”
The change comes amid a handful of other changes to security while flying. DHS announced in July that the TSA ended its decades-long shoe-removal policy nationwide, while Secretary Kristi Noem also teased the possibility of changes to carry-on liquids at an event in Washington, D.C.
“Hopefully the future of an airport, where I’m looking to go, is that you walk in the door with your carry-on suitcase, you walk through a scanner and go right to your flight,” Noem said. “It takes you one minute.”
Here’s what else to know about the “Families on the Fly” campaign and the possible changes to the liquids rule.
How will families benefit from the new campaign?
The “Families on the Fly” initiative will create a dedicated family lane at select airports for TSA security in an effort to reduce wait times and make the process go smoother.
“There will be expanded areas that will give them the benefit of recognizing that they have children with them and will help make sure that we have the ability to take care of them and their families as they go through this expedited process with their kiddos,” Noem said at a Thursday press conference at Nashville International Airport.
There will also be dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes for service members and their families. “TSA reminds travelers that military personnel and civilian Department of Defense (DOD) staff are eligible for free TSA PreCheck by using their DOD ID number as their Known Traveler Number when booking travel,” the announcement states.
And coming soon, discounted TSA PreCheck fees will be available for families, where it will cost $85 per person instead of $100. Under current TSA PreCheck rules, children 12 and under are allowed in the line as long as they’re traveling with someone who is enrolled in the program. For children ages 13-17, make sure the child is booked on the same airline reservation as the adult with TSA PreCheck.
Currently, the participating airports include:
Orlando International (MCO) in Florida and Charlotte-Douglas International (CLT) in North Carolina
Planned expansions are coming to: John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) in California and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Hawaii
“Families on the Fly” plan to roll out at additional airports, including:
Charleston International Airport (CHS) in South Carolina
Jacksonville International (JAX) in Florida
Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD)
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico
Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida
Additional airports are slated to roll out the initiative in the coming months.
Noem told The Hill on July 16: “It’s not certainly anything we’ll be announcing in the next week or two, but we’re working to see what we can do to make the traveling experience much better and more hospitable for individuals, but also still keep safety standards.”
Meanwhile, a TSA spokesperson said last year that the liquids rule may have to remain in place until 2040. “TSA is still deploying Computed Tomography (CT) units that are capable of screening larger sizes of liquids, however the agency will not be able to change the current 3-1-1 liquids rule for some time to come, because there are about 2,000 screening lanes in about 430 airports,” a TSA spokesperson told Travel + Leisure. “We are anticipating that it may not be until 2040 that we have CT units fully deployed across the nation and have the capability of changing the requirement across the system.”
In the post-9/11 era of air travel, the TSA implemented a policy in September 2006 that limited the amount of liquids, gels and aerosols to 3.4-ounce or smaller containers in passenger carry-on bags. The rule came shortly after British police foiled a terrorism plot to detonate liquid explosives on transatlantic flights.
According to the TSA’s website, these are the current rules on liquids in carry-on luggage:
The 3-1-1 rule
Each container must be 3.4 ounces or less and fit within a single quart-size clear, resealable bag. One bag per passenger is allowed.
Any item that’s over the limit has to go into checked luggage. This includes containers larger than 3.4 ounces that are partially used.
Larger quantities of liquids, gels and aerosols are allowed in checked luggage.
Exemptions may include medically necessary liquids are exempt from the rule but must be declared. This could include prescription medications or prescription-grade contact lens solution.
Infant or child nourishment items like breast milk, formula, juice or baby food (including pouches) are allowed in carry-on bags in any amount. They must be removed and declared at security for inspection.
If you are traveling to the U.S. with duty-free liquids that were purchased internationally and have a connecting flight, the liquids must be packed in a transparent, secure, tamper-evident bag from the retailer.
