Be Prepared at Security Checkpoint

Everyone who travels by air goes through airport security checkpoints. These checkpoints are operated by Transportation Security Officers from the Transportation Security Administration. Help yourself and all of those in line with you by being prepared. This keeps lines moving, and your experience more pleasant.

Take metal items such as keys, loose change, mobile phones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) out of your pockets. Put these in your carry-on or in a plastic bag. Avoid wearing clothing, jewelry or other accessories that contain metal, such as heavy jewelry, clothing with metal buttons or snaps, belt buckles, hair barretts or underwire bras.

Pack your coats and jackets in your baggage when possible. All coats and jackets that you are carrying must go through the X-ray machine for inspection. If you choose to wear an outer coat or jacket to the checkpoint, you will need to either pack it in your carry-on baggage or put it in one of the bins we provided.

You may be additionally screened because of hidden items such as body piercings, which can set off alarms. If you are selected for additional screening, you may ask to remove your body piercing in private as an alternative to a pat-down search.