TSA Watch: EWR

As of Tuesday morning (Tue Mar 24, 10:22 AM), TSA wait times at EWR remain elevated above typical levels. Official alerts report average waits of 25 minutes across all lines (Tue Mar 24, 10:16 AM and 10:00 AM), compared to a typical average of 7–9 minutes—a difference of approximately 16–18 minutes. However, traveler reports show significant variation by terminal and time: Terminal A saw waits as low as 4–20 minutes (Tue Mar 24, 8:35 AM; 4:10 AM), while Terminal C experiences noticeably longer delays.

Early morning continues to show better throughput than midday. Reports from the 5–9 AM window (Tue Mar 24, 5:45 AM through 9:30 AM) consistently show waits under 20 minutes, with some travelers clearing security in as little as 5–7 minutes (Tue Mar 24, 5:45 AM; 6:03 AM). PreCheck and touchless options significantly reduce wait times: one traveler with PreCheck and Clear cleared security in 16 minutes (Tue Mar 24, 5:21 AM), while touchless PreCheck users reported 5–8 minute waits (Tue Mar 24, 5:23 AM; 6:03 AM).

Recommendation: Arrive 2 hours before departure if you're in the general security line. If you have PreCheck or Clear, arrive 1.5 hours early and prioritize early morning travel (before 10 AM) when reported waits are shortest. Avoid Terminal C if possible, and use touchless PreCheck options if available.