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San Francisco International Airport (SFO), a major United Airlines hub, uses private contractors to screen passengers under the Transportation Security Administration’s Screening Partnership Program. During the 2026 partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown, that arrangement helped avoid some of the pay and staffing disruption affecting airports whose checkpoints rely on federal TSA employees. It does not establish that SFO consistently had shorter lines: the available reporting offers no comparable wait-time data proving that.
What was different about security screening at SFO?
SFO’s checkpoint screeners work for Covenant Aviation Security, a private contractor, rather than being directly employed as federal TSA officers. The airport participates in TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, established in 2004. Under the program, private security companies selected by the federal government operate screening checkpoints, while TSA retains authority over screening procedures and oversight. TSA says contracted screeners receive the same security background checks as their federal counterparts. Associated Press reporting, March 11, 2026
So SFO’s model is not security screening without TSA. The contractor supplies the checkpoint workforce; federal oversight and procedures remain part of the arrangement.
How did the model matter during the shutdown?
Different exposure to missed pay
During the partial DHS shutdown covered in March 2026, TSA employees continued reporting for work without pay. The Associated Press reported that shutdowns have historically brought increased absenteeism and slower checkpoints as the time without pay lengthens. By contrast, payments to contractors often continued because funds had already been allocated under federal contracts. That created a funding-continuity advantage during this shutdown, not a guarantee that contractor-run checkpoints will always be fully staffed or quick.
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TSA said the Screening Partnership Program “provides needed relief to staffing shortages brought on by a government shutdown,” according to the AP. That is the agency’s explanation of the program’s role, rather than a measured finding that it produces shorter waits at SFO.
Context, not a wait-time comparison
The AP described roughly 400 commercial airports in the United States, with most relying on federal TSA officers, and nearly two dozen airports using contracted checkpoint screeners. It also identified SFO as one of the country’s top 15 airports by passenger traffic and California’s second-busiest, behind Los Angeles International Airport. Those counts establish that SFO is a large airport using a less common staffing model; they do not compare security-line performance.
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Did SFO have shorter TSA lines?
The available reporting does not establish that SFO had shorter waits than similarly busy airports during the shutdown. There is no comparable SFO wait-time statistic in the cited coverage, so “thriving” is best understood as a description of the airport’s relative insulation from one shutdown-related staffing and pay problem—not proof of superior checkpoint speeds or uninterrupted operations.
Contract funding continuity can reduce one source of disruption, but it cannot by itself show how long passengers waited or how screening performed. A reliable performance comparison would need comparable wait-time and operational data across airports; the cited coverage does not provide that.
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What are the arguments for and against contractor screening?
The case for considering it
Aviation security expert Sheldon Jacobson, whose research contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, argued that SFO shows contractor screening can be used at a large international airport. He said, “If SFO is the litmus test for delivering this privatized product, then many other airports can do it, too,” and assessed that it “has operated just as well as any other airport.” Those are Jacobson’s views, not independently measured comparisons.
Concerns raised by the TSA union
Johnny Jones, the TSA union’s bargaining-unit secretary-treasurer, said, “We will never advocate for any privatization of any federal employees. We don’t believe that’ll work.” The AP also reported union concerns that contractor accountability, pressure to cut costs, training or staffing decisions, and variation among contractors could complicate consistent oversight. These are the union’s arguments about risks, not established findings about SFO’s current contractor.
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TSA’s position on further discussion
TSA senior official Ha Nguyen McNeill said, “If a new privatization scheme makes sense, then we’re happy to have that discussion to see what we can come up with. It’s not an all-or-nothing game.” Her comment signals openness to discussing options; it is not an announcement that TSA policy has changed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is the shutdown still affecting travelers?
No. The shutdown covered by the March 2026 reporting ended in April after 76 days. A May 1 report said TSA was funded and checkpoints were expected to operate more or less normally at that time. These reports describe a past disruption; they do not establish SFO’s wait times or staffing in October 2026. The Points Guy, May 1, 2026
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Does United’s app show SFO security wait times?
Not according to the April 3, 2026 report on United’s pilot. Fox Business said the app displayed estimated TSA wait times by lane type, including standard screening and TSA PreCheck, at Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and Newark. The report did not list SFO, and it does not establish whether the pilot is still active or has expanded. The app feature is separate from SFO’s contractor screening arrangement. Fox Business, April 3, 2026
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