Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that, effective Tuesday, “travelers in U.S. airports no longer are required to remove their shoes during security screenings.”
This reverses a rule created after the “shoe bomber” incident in 2006.
Noem said, “Our security technology has changed dramatically. It’s evolved. TSA has changed,” adding that airports now have a “multilayered, whole‑of‑government approach” to screening.
Passengers may still be asked to remove footwear if extra screening is needed. Though TSA PreCheck users could already skip this step, the update extends the benefit to all travelers nationwide.
Noem also said TSA is reviewing other protocols — such as belt removal and liquid limits — to streamline airport security further.