These days, there is frankly a lot to dislike about air travel.
Of course, you have the huge fees that airlines seem to charge for everything but breathing (although they’d probably start charging for that if they could figure out a way).
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You have passengers reaching new heights of rudeness seemingly every day as they demand seat changes and start fist fights in the air. And, of course, the seats aren’t exactly the height of comfort, and in-flight snacks are nothing but a distant memory on most domestic flights unless you want to shell out extra cash for some stale crackers.
Still, despite all the downsides of flying, there’s one process most people seem to agree is especially annoying: going through TSA security lines.
Now, of course, security on planes is important, but some of the rules do seem rather pointless to many flyers.
The good news, however, is that one of the most hated rules of all is finally, quietly, disappearing – and it’s long past due, given that it’s been in place for almost a quarter century.
With no fanfare, this much-hated TSA rule is finally being eliminated
Many travelers agree that one of the absolute worst TSA rules is the requirement that you must take your shoes off at the airport. In fact, many people sign up for PreCheck specifically to avoid having to shuffle through the airport in socks — or worse, their bare feet — as strangers look on.
The good news is that the rule appears, at long last, to be getting phased out, and with surprisingly little fanfare.
Related: TSA issues stern warning forbidding popular summer item
Rumors began to circulate last week that TSA was eliminating the shoes-off requirements, with news of the regulation’s disappearance leaking on TikTok with former TSA employees sharing the details based on internal memos.
Now, reports indicate that the new policy quietly went into effect on July 7, 2025, with passengers at the airport experiencing firsthand the ultimate freedom of keeping their sneakers on as they crossed through security checkpoints.
This means passengers will no longer need PreCheck to avoid being shoeless.
However, those who are flagged for extra screening or who do not present a REAL-ID-compliant form of identification may have to suffer the indignity of standing in their socks, as those individuals will still face added scrutiny.
The end of TSA’s shoe rule has been a long time coming
Shoes-off at TSA has been an issue since 2001 when Richard Reid, a man known as the “shoe bomber,” tried to detonate explosives in his shoes.
While the TSA encouraged voluntary compliance with shoe-removal policies beginning in 2002, the agency began requiring shoe removal as an official policy in 2006, at the same time the 3-1-1 liquid rule was officially put in place.
Now, however, internal TSA memos have revealed that technology has advanced to the point where it’s now possible to detect hazards in people’s shoes without requiring their removal.
Related: TSA bans these common children’s toys from airplanes
The TSA also reportedly completed a comprehensive reassessment of threat level risks and determined that shoes remaining on feet is no longer the national security threat that it has apparently been for more than two decades.
The timing couldn’t be better for the change, though, as the TSA has also been facing intense scrutiny under the Trump Administration, with many lawmakers expressing frustration with the agency.
In fact, Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) even introduced the Abolish TSA Act of 2025 (S. 1180), which aims to disband the agency entirely.
More on travel:
- U.S. government issues serious warning for cruise passengers
- Delta Air Lines makes a baggage change that travelers will like
- United Airlines passenger incident triggers quick response
The merits of eliminating the agency and transferring authority for airplane security to individual airlines are up for debate.
In the meantime, it’s likely many travelers will support this long-awaited change — and hopefully get through the security screening line a little faster.
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Great Job Christy Rakoczy & the Team @ TheStreet Source link for sharing this story.
