You Can Finally Keep Your Shoes On While Going Through Airport Security

If you’ve ever stood barefoot in a TSA line, juggling your laptop, belt, and dignity, we have got some long-overdue good news. The TSA has officially ended its shoe removal requirement at airport security checkpoints nationwide, and it’s effective immediately.

TSA Scraps Shoe Removal Requirement Across U.S.

In a move that will make airport security a little less miserable, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem just announced that passengers will no longer need to remove their shoes when passing through TSA checkpoints.

“With this no-shoes policy, we anticipate that Americans and travelers and those coming into our country will be very excited they will no longer have to remove their shoes,” Noem said during a press conference on Tuesday.

While the change doesn’t cover every scenario (if you get flagged for extra screening, you may have to still take your shoes off), this marks a big shift for most travelers.

Why Now? A Shift in Security Strategy

The policy update follows a comprehensive review of TSA’s procedures to determine which practices are truly necessary. According to Secretary Noem, passengers will still undergo “a multilayered screening and identity verification process” before boarding, so the overall security standard isn’t being compromised.

A senior official hinted earlier that this change might’ve started with selected airports, but Noem has confirmed it’s now rolling out nationwide.

Travel Industry Cheers the Move

Travel insiders are already calling it a win for both efficiency and sanity. Nicholas Calio, CEO of Airlines for America, applauded the decision, saying “Making security decisions informed by risk assessments and based on leveraging advanced technologies is a commonsense approach to policy change […] and will go a long way in facilitating smooth, seamless and secure travel for passengers.”

Translation: Less hassle, faster lines, and fewer travelers hopping around trying to tie their shoes without holding up the line.

A Rule Born from a Terrorist Plot Gone Wrong

The TSA first introduced the shoe removal rule in 2006, in direct response to the failed 2001 bombing attempt by Richard Reid. Reid tried to ignite explosives hidden in his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami but was stopped by alert passengers and crew.

Reid’s botched plan (and those infamous explosives in his soles) kicked off nearly two decades of shoeless security lines. While the policy was relaxed and reinstated over the years, it still remained a sore spot for travelers, so much so that TSA even leaned into the annoyance in ads for its PreCheck program.

“It’s my favorite thing,” one happy traveler said in a TSA PreCheck commercial, referring to skipping the shoe shuffle.

What This Means for You

If you’re planning a trip this summer—whether it’s Vegas, Miami, or just a quick work trip to Chicago, you can now move through security with your shoes on. It’s a small win for sure, but one that makes air travel a bit more tolerable.

Just remember: the policy doesn’t override additional screenings, so if you’ve got any unusual footwear, metal inserts, or just bad luck, you might still get pulled aside. But for the rest of us? Fewer delays, fewer socks on display (and the stinky feet that accompany them), and one less thing to worry about at 5am before your flight.