# TSA Wait Times API

> TSA Wait Times returns estimated airport security waits, hourly patterns, and checkpoint details as a workflow and API.

TSA Wait Times returns crowd-sourced estimated security waits, PreCheck availability, and checkpoint details for a U.S. airport. Get security wait time also returns hourly waits and identifies the busiest and quietest hours; provide an airport name, city, or three-letter code.

- Page: https://fous.com/tools/tsa-wait-times
- Handle: `@tsa-wait-times`
- Category: [Travel](https://fous.com/tools/category/travel)
- Source website: https://tsawaittimes.com
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026

## Methods

### Get security wait time

Operation `get_security_wait_time`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Get today’s estimated security wait and hourly pattern for a US airport by name, city, or code, with PreCheck and checkpoint details. These are crowd-sourced estimates, not official TSA figures. Date-specific historical or future estimates are not shown on the public pages.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `airport` | string | yes | `"Atlanta"` | US airport name, city or three-letter airport code, such as Atlanta or ATL. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "airport"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "airport": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "US airport name, city or three-letter airport code, such as Atlanta or ATL.",
      "examples": [
        "Atlanta",
        "ATL",
        "Boston"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "airport": "Atlanta"
    },
    {
      "airport": "ATL"
    },
    {
      "airport": "Boston"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `page_link` | string | `"https://www.tsawaittimes.com/security-wait-times/ATL/Hartsfield-Jackson-Atlanta-International"` |  |
| `checkpoints` | array |  |  |
| `checkpoints[].name` | string | `"Concourse E Checkpoint"` |  |
| `checkpoints[].terminal` | string or null | `"Terminal FIS"` |  |
| `checkpoints[].status_or_hours` | string or null | `"Closed"` |  |
| `airport_code` | string | `"ATL"` |  |
| `airport_name` | string | `"Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International"` |  |
| `hourly_waits` | array |  |  |
| `hourly_waits[].hour` | string | `"00:00"` | Airport local hour, HH:00. |
| `hourly_waits[].wait_minutes` | integer | `13` |  |
| `busiest_hours` | array |  |  |
| `quietest_hours` | array |  |  |
| `current_wait_text` | string | `"15 min"` |  |
| `current_wait_minutes` | integer | `15` |  |
| `tsa_precheck_available` | boolean | `true` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "airport": "Atlanta"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "page_link": "https://www.tsawaittimes.com/security-wait-times/ATL/Hartsfield-Jackson-Atlanta-International",
  "checkpoints": [
    {
      "name": "Concourse E Checkpoint",
      "terminal": "Terminal FIS",
      "status_or_hours": "Closed"
    },
    {
      "name": "Main Checkpoint",
      "terminal": "Terminal MAIN",
      "status_or_hours": "Closed"
    },
    {
      "name": "Concourse F Departure",
      "terminal": "Terminal MHJIT",
      "status_or_hours": "Closed"
    }
  ],
  "airport_code": "ATL",
  "airport_name": "Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International",
  "hourly_waits": [
    {
      "hour": "00:00",
      "wait_minutes": 13
    },
    {
      "hour": "01:00",
      "wait_minutes": 11
    },
    {
      "hour": "02:00",
      "wait_minutes": 15
    }
  ],
  "busiest_hours": [
    "07:00",
    "11:00"
  ],
  "quietest_hours": [
    "18:00",
    "21:00"
  ],
  "current_wait_text": "15 min",
  "current_wait_minutes": 15,
  "tsa_precheck_available": true
}
```

## Quick start

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data.

```bash
curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@tsa-wait-times",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_security_wait_time",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "airport": "Atlanta"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
import json
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@tsa-wait-times\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"get_security_wait_time\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"airport\": \"Atlanta\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@tsa-wait-times",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_security_wait_time",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "airport": "Atlanta"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

## Use from an AI assistant

Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input.

- Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/tsa-wait-times`
- Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer <Fous API key>`

**Tools**

- `get_security_wait_time`: Get security wait time. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free.

Claude Code:

```bash
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-tsa-wait-times https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/tsa-wait-times --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"
```

To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt.

## Use cases

- Compare estimated waits across airports before choosing a route
- Help travelers plan when to arrive at the airport
- Identify busy and quiet airport security hours
- Check checkpoint details and PreCheck availability

## FAQ

### Can I run it with my own inputs?

Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant.

### Can I call this TSA Wait Times tool as an API?

Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back.

### How much does it cost?

Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a TSA Wait Times account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from tsawaittimes.com when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026.

### What is the estimated security wait at an airport?

Get security wait time returns the current estimated wait for the airport you provide.

### Which hours are busiest or quietest?

Get security wait time returns the hourly wait pattern and identifies the busiest and quietest hours.

### Is PreCheck available at the airport?

Get security wait time returns whether TSA PreCheck is available.

## Related

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- [The Weather Channel API](https://fous.com/tools/the-weather-channel.md): The Weather Channel returns current conditions, today’s high/low, up to 15 daily forecasts (sometimes fewer), 1–48 local hourly forecasts, and active severe weather alerts.
- [National Weather Service API](https://fous.com/tools/national-weather-service.md): National Weather Service provides U.S. day-and-night forecasts for seven days, hourly forecasts for up to 156 hours where available, active alerts, and latest nearby station observations.
- [All Travel tools](https://fous.com/tools/category/travel)