JFK Terminal 5 TSA Lines Lines were insane. Very disorganized. Nobody knew where the start of the line was and people started to push into the lines everywhere. Many people missed their flight. This w...
Last updated: Mar 24, 2026 09:14 AM ET — 4 reports across 2 days
Early morning remains the most problematic time at JFK. Terminal 5 experienced severe congestion around 6:30 AM (Tue Mar 24, 6:30 AM), with disorganized lines, unclear queue starts, and reports of passengers missing flights. More recent reports indicate waits exceeded 1 hour at JFK overall (Tue Mar 24, 10:03 AM).
Terminal 8 shows a stark divide between PreCheck and general screening. At Terminal 8 (Mon Mar 23, 10:31 PM), PreCheck and touchless ID lanes moved smoothly, while standard security lines faced significant delays. If you have PreCheck, you'll experience substantially faster processing.
Arrive 2.5 to 3 hours early for early morning flights (before 8 AM) if you're in a standard line, especially at Terminal 5. If you have PreCheck, plan for 1.5 hours at Terminal 8. Avoid the 6:30 AM window if possible, and consider applying for PreCheck given the current disparity in wait times across terminals.