The TSA's longstanding policy that requires flyers to remove their shoes during the security process is coming to a formal end.
At a press conference at Washington Reagan Airport on Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the change, which would "make screening easier for passengers, improve traveler satisfaction, and reduce wait times," according to a DHS media advisory.
Noem said that advancements had been made in screening technology over the past several years, and that Real ID compliance also contributed to the change. TSA screening dogs also continue to be used.
“All of those processes give us the ability to allow travelers to keep their shoes on,” Noem said.
A 20-plus year policy
The shoe-removal policy formally took effect in 2006. In practice though, the screening procedure began at U.S. airports five years earlier, after British national Richard Ried attempted to detonate bombs in his shoes aboard an American Airlines flight.
Many countries around the world have already abandoned shoes-off requirements as security screening technology has improved.
One of the big differentiators in programs like Precheck and Clear is the ability for travelers to keep their shoes on during the screening process.
But Noem said that she felt that travelers would still see value in the TSA Precheck program since those in the program don't have to remove belts or laptops.
The change had been noted by several media outlets and travelers, but the Department of Homeland Security had stopped short of confirming
the change ahead of Noem's Tuesday briefing.
This report has been updated with new information throughout.