Family TSA lines launch at select U.S. airports including SoCal

Flying with children is always a challenge, from lugging strollers through security to making sure teddy doesn’t get left at the gate and dealing with with mid-flight meltdowns. But a new Department of Homeland Security program seeks to ease parents’ stress while traveling by offering family-friendly lanes at TSA checkpoints.

The Families on the Fly program began its roll-out at select airports this summer, including at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Parents need not have TSA PreCheck to take advantage of the dedicated lanes, which often have shorter lines and allow families to move through security without feeling rushed or like they are inconveniencing their fellow passengers.

“When families arrive at John Wayne Airport, they will find a specially designated lane for them at the centrally located Checkpoint B,” said Jason Pantages, Transportation Security Administration federal security director for John Wayne Airport, at a news conference Monday. “With Southern California being one of the top tourist destinations in the U.S. for vacationing families, I am excited that we can now expedite their screening process and enhance their overall airport experience.”

John Wayne Airport is a popular travel hub for families on vacation, thanks in part to its proximity to Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. In addition to the new family TSA lane, airport officials also unveiled a new lactation pod in the Terminal C baggage claim area to provide mothers with a place to nurse in private.

“As a mom who nursed two babies, I know the stress of traveling when babies get hungry,” Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said in a statement. “I’m excited that we now offer a private, clean, comfortable space for moms to nurse before flights at JWA to reduce the chaos of traveling with kids.”

Although California officials predicted that the state would experience a “Trump slump” in tourism this year due to the president’s tariff policies, a slowdown in visitors has not materialized at John Wayne.

The Orange County airport reported a 3.1% year-over-year increase in passengers in May, while California airports overall reported a very slight 0.6% year-over-year dip in passengers in May, the latest month for which data are available.

The decrease in tourism to the Golden State is forecast to be driven by a 9.2% year-over-year drop in international visitors, according to the state’s nonprofit tourism marketing agency, Visit California. The agency predicts this change will be driven by the “impact of higher tariffs on the global economy and negative sentiment toward the U.S. due to the administration’s trade policies.”

Only 3% of passengers at John Wayne are international, largely insulating the airport from the potential effect of such a slump. At Los Angeles International Airport, where almost a third of passengers are international, there was a 4.3% decrease in travelers in May.

The TSA began launching its new family-friendly lanes in July, the middle of the busy summer travel season. As part of the Families on the Fly program, TSA is also offering a discount on TSA PreCheck enrollments for families: Buy one enrollment and you get $15 off the second one.

Other airports introducing family lines include: