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Spring break travel could be a mess, NY. Brace for long lines and $4 gas.
By
Ryan Kost
and
Catalina Gonella
Published Apr 2, 2026
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Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
By
Ryan Kost
and
Catalina Gonella
Published Apr 2, 2026
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Spring break is almost here — and with it comes travel chaos.
This weekend, thousands of New York City-area students and their families are hitting the road and taking to the skies. The timing isn’t great. Airport security checkpoint lines are easing up after some TSA workers began receiving backpay amid the ongoing partial government shutdown, but callout rates still remain well above-average. And gas is pushing past $4 a gallon as President Donald Trump’s war in Iran continues without any clear end in sight.
Travelers should be patient whether they’re going by plane or car, officials and experts say.
Area airports are expecting a higher number of passengers this weekend and next, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The Port Authority will have extra staff on hand to help travelers through the process, but spring breakers should still leave themselves plenty of time to get through “baggage check and all that other stuff and be able to get to their gate for their departure,” said Sarah McKeon, the Port Authority’s director of aviation.
That means the usual two hours for domestic flights and three for international is really a minimum during any spring break travel period — even when current events aren’t adding further complications.
McKeon also suggested travelers check airport websites for terminal wait times, which will be regularly updated.
“My favorite thing to remind passengers is pack your patience, right?” McKeon said. “It's the first big spike of passenger volumes in our annual calendar and patience goes a long way to making the experience less difficult."
Expect ICE personnel to still be on hand at regional and other airports as well, though it isn’t clear they’re having much of an effect on wait times.
On the upside, the TSA lines have generally improved over the past few days, McKeon said.
Trump issued an order last week releasing funds to pay security staff after a mounting crisis sent the nation's airports into chaos as thousands of agents called out of work.
Government officials said agents would begin receiving paychecks as early as this week. Still, JFK and LaGuardia were experiencing callout rates of 20% and 15% as of Monday, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Before the shutdown, typical rates were under 2% nationwide, DHS has reportedly said.
Travelers who decided to skip the TSA mayhem and plan road trips for spring break should be prepared for traffic, even with the price of gas on the rise. Pump prices will take their toll on wallets, but not so much they’ll dissuade most travelers, said Sam Schwartz, a former city traffic commissioner and New York's gridlock expert.
“ We don't see a huge change in travel until [gas hits] $5 a gallon or more,” he said. “So I'd say you're gonna see more cars on the road.”
We’re probably not talking Memorial Day and Labor Day traffic, but enough to create some headaches.
For those who are staying in the city, remember that Fifth Avenue will be closed from 49th to 57th streets most of Easter Sunday for the annual Easter Parade. Aside from that, enjoy the emptier-than-usual city, with some atypically clear roads and short lines for the latest viral bagel.
“ You'll see less traffic on most days, many schools are out and you won't see a big return until the weekend and probably Sunday [April 12] will be the big day,” Schwartz said.
AAA has the usual cautions for those hitting the road.
“If you're driving to your destination, hopefully your vehicle is in good running condition,” said AAA spokesperson Robert Sinclair Jr. “The spark plugs are good, the fuel injectors — sometimes an engine might run rough because of those things, and a rough running engine is going to get poorer fuel economy.”
And, of course, don't forget the wheels, he said.
“You need to make sure your tires are properly inflated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 80% of us are driving around on improperly inflated tires, which are usually underinflated,” Sinclair said.
He suggests getting a jump on summer travel plans by securing airline tickets and hotel reservations in case the gas prices creep up even further.
Otherwise, folks might be looking at some summer staycations.
Tagged
new jersey
new york city
transportation
Ryan Kost
Ryan Kost is a reporter on the day-of news desk, where he covers breaking news and writes enterprise stories about jails, courts, prosecutors and government accountability. His work focuses on the public institutions that shape life in New York. Before joining the newsroom, he lead a multi-part investigation with Columbia Journalism Investigations and New York Focus into how New York prosecutors handle wrongful conviction claims. He's also been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle, The Associated Press and The Oregonian. Got a tip? Signal: ryankost.20
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Catalina Gonella
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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