Although the TSA and Hawaii DOT announced many changes designed to improve the travel experience departing Maui Airport, not much improvement is evident unless perhaps you have TSA Pre-check. That is according to the TSA’s own Mytsa app. As of Thursday, there were at least three periods of delays of near or over one hour waiting to clear TSA. And this comes concurrently with scorching hot, late-summer weather, whether you’re in the shade or not.
TSA said, “With continued high demand for air travel and no signs that it is slowing anytime soon, TSA has partnered with HDOT to make improvements to our security operations. These changes have been made to enhance security while ensuring the best experience for travelers, the airport community, and our employees.”
At the same time, Hawaii DOT said, “The curbside awning combined with the security enhancements will make a big difference in comfort for our travelers.” Has it really?
Passenger screening dogs to the rescue?
Passenger screening canine teams have already been added at Maui airport. “These highly-skilled dogs who are paired with TSA handlers are trained to detect explosives and explosive components. They utilize their keen sense of smell when working in and around travelers and their belongings in a busy transportation environment.”
The dogs have undergone four months of training for the positions in Texas. They then had additional training on Maui to become familiar with the airport.
TSA said that the dog teams “Are able to conduct a real-time threat assessment of travelers going through the security checkpoint. If a dog alerts its handler to the presence of an explosive odor, TSA follows an established procedure to resolve the alarm.”
New dedicated PreCheck checkpoint.
Due to increased numbers of TSA PreCheck travelers departing Maui, TSA has opened a dedicated TSA PreCheck checkpoint at Checkpoint 2, located closer to the baggage claim area.
TSA has the flexibility to convert the type of screening provided at either checkpoint as needed. This modification to the checkpoint process will benefit all travelers and increase the efficiency of security operations.
Security technology improvements.
This summer TSA added two computed tomography (CT) scanners to screen carry-on bags. These offer advanced explosives detection capabilities and generate 3-D images of carry-on contents. These images can be manipulated to allow officers to quickly see contents better and reduce baggage handling.
Electronics and food do not need to be removed from carry-on bags with these new scanners. All items must go into bins to be screened.
Maui Airport is also utilizing its four new Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) units. These match travelers’ photo IDs with flight database information such that only a driver’s license or other ID is needed; no boarding pass.
TSA’s acting Administrator David Pekoske said, “We were also able to continue the deployment of new technologies that facilitate stronger identity verification procedures and enhanced security screening for carry-on bags.”
A 200-foot-long shade tent was added last month.
The airport installed a tent for protecting passengers from the sun during long waits for security clearance. That has been augmented with another 125-foot-long tent which the county has rented.
So what’s the ongoing problem? Too many visitors.
As seen in the image above, domestic arrivals still intermittently exceed 2019 levels. Such has been the case most days recently.
While TSA indicates the longest wait times are from 9-2 and 6-9, we’ve seen today that the longest times were just from 11-2. The busiest days to travel are typically Thursday through Monday.
Flights times are all bunched together at Maui.
The airlines are scheduling too many flights at highly desirable times, which results in hoards arriving at the airport simultaneously. That, while the airport can be relatively quiet at other times of the day. The state and counties are looking into how they can work with the airlines to alleviate the bottleneck.
Tips to speed you through Maui airport:
1. Check TSA wait times before leaving for the airport. Links to the MyTSA app are as follows:
2. Purchase TSA Pre-check. But be aware that pre-check has not always been available at Maui Airport when staffing is inadequate. Maui says, however, that is improving. The MyTSA app also tells you if Pre-check is available.
3. Consider what time of day you’re departing Maui. Flight departures get bunched up, which exacerbates the problem. Mid-day is almost always the worst.
4. Plan your airport arrival time carefully. You should still plan on at least 2 hours for airport procedures before flight time on Maui.
Have you been caught in TSA lines at Kahului Airport?
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What is it like early in the morning like 4am?
Was there in late August. Not bad at all, about 40 min thru TSA. The line for Starbucks took longer.
We flew out of there on September 9th and I have no idea if this was a bad day or not but it took us over an hour to get thru the security and with the Temps and humidity combined with so many people packed together it was brutal! I feel like at the very least the airport could scrounge together a few hundred dollars for some fans in that area!
We were there a couple of weeks ago. Everyone very pleasant, the line went pretty quickly. We were told ahead of time to be 4 hours early and to expect long lines. Everyone professional and courteous.
Customer vote with their dollars. The crowds will dissipate either because they will get it fixed or people will stop visiting.
I canceled our flight and accommodations to Maui in April, 2019, due to spreading Covid-19. With returning flights, bad behavior on planes and in airports, we no longer fly anywhere. We had been visiting Maui regularly during the off season for the beauty, friendship and peacefulness of the island and residents. Sadly, no more. We look forward to a return to sanity and decorum, but not sure it will happen in our lifetime. Maui no ka oi. I miss you. Mahalo and aloha.
I mean, why bother with Hawaii anymore? Also, it’s complete nonsense what they did in Kauai with the North Shore tram etc? Nothing but a greedy power grab it’s unconscionable and there’s other places in the world to visit that are beautiful. So this one from my favorite place to never want to go back ever, ever!
Agree, don’t come to Maui or Hawaii in general…go visit other places. We’re overwhelmed by tourists…pls go elsewhere!
Nobody will miss you in Hawaii. Have fun elsewhere
Don’t come to Kahului Airport before 0415 in the morning TSA, Agriculture inspection, Rental cars companies and all Airlines ticket counters Are Closed believe me there all still sleeping
Hello, I wanted to comment on the suggestion of purchasing the Global Entry Program. First off, from all the articles I’ve read on this topic, no one seems to mention that there is a possibility that you may Not get an interview. From Covid to a backlog, there can be a wait up to a year. Also the fee is $100 & is Non-refundable, so do your due diligence & plan accordingly.
Our family of 9 was just there in August. Other than the lack of shade outside the airport entrance, the lines went fairly quickly and airport employees moved us through each checkpoint with ease. Took about an hour to get to the gate.
The authirs’ article encouraging enrollment in TSA Precheck should also mention that another TSA enrollment program is the TSA Global Entry Card which was originally designed for travellers entering the US from overseas but has many advantages for domestic travellers, such as enrollment – after qualification and a in-person sevurity interview – as a TSA Trusted Traveller. As such you receive TSA’s Global Entry photo Card that positively identifies you as a pre-screened and trusted traveller known to the TSA. Global Entry cardholders are automatically pre-enrolled in TSA Pre-Check.
Yes!!! my last trip back to the mainland, the line appeared to be at least 2 hours in the scorching hot sun!!! There were no awnings I saw:(… I have TSA pre-check, and was told erroneously by 2 airport personnel to get into the 2-hour line-ugh! I quickly realized upon my own investigations, I was in the wrong line and Pre-check was further down-The airport signage/directions were chaotic at best! Pre-check was @20 people vs. hundreds; walking up they just sent 20+ people away as they wrongly in this short line = nightmare situation for many !!!
How about this viewpoint. I travel out of Maui often enough to see these ‘tourists’ who complain about the long lines. The delays are not lack of staffing nor facilities to accomadate the volumes, but every time a passenger has to be told that they can’t bring beverages thru TSA or other contraband, this creates a delay on the process. Almost all of the passengers I have seen, stop in place, drink all the contraband liquid, creating the delay. I question the lack of consideration by these passengers causing these delays. And worst yet, this is in the pre-check line. I wondered many times what these passengers did on their in-bound TSA pre-check.
The obvious answer is to spread out their flight times, but they still need to have more of everything! That includes more airline customer service stations, more baggage scanning machines, more TSA officers, more parking, and better access to pick up and drop off rental cars.
100% !!! My last trip Maui to Long Beach in early August as I noted above was a traveler’s nightmare!!!! The line for TSA stretched hundreds of people like a snake ! Almost all in the hot sun sweating profusely… I felt so bad seeing elderly people, babies, children, disabled people it was just incredibly bad situation!!! Some were trying to stay in the shade, but there was very little and they don’t let you inside the airport without going through the checkpoint!! I was in TSA Precheck and everyone around me were saying they’re not coming back to Hawaii they’re going to go someplace it’s easier to get in and out of they were very upset-and this was a short line of 20 people!
When the local governments pay you not to work this us the result
Maui is overcrowded so people deciding not to return, is fantastic news to locals.