Tipsheet

Delta Suspends Stand-Alone Service for Congress Until TSA Is Fully Funded

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  March 24, 2026 12:30 PM

Delta Airlines is taking a stand against the Democrats' ongoing shutdown. The Atlanta-based carrier is ending a perk for members of Congress until they do their jobs and fully fund the TSA.

Here's more:

You read that right. The same members of Congress who have failed to fund the TSA for the last six weeks may or may not be waiting in the unimaginably long security lines they’re causing. They don’t all use the perk, but according to Cornyn, they do all have the option.

...

That perk is just one of a bundle that have made flying a lot easier for the frequent flyers in Congress, who often are on an airplane twice a week or more commuting to Washington and back. 

Along with skipping the lines, some members of Congress also request local police escorts to their gates. And they all get access to major airlines’ dedicated Congressional service desks to book trips, make last-minute changes, and even reserve seats on one, two or three flights on the same day, depending on congressional vote schedules.

In regular times, these could be seen as prudent security measures for high-profile flyers or simply good customer service for some of the airlines’ best customers. But taken together, they also inoculate Congress from the chaos Washington is causing. 

Apparently just as fed up as the rest of us, Atlanta’s Delta Airlines announced this week that it is suspending its stand-alone service for members of Congress until the TSA is fully funded. 

“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” the statement read. “Next to safety, Delta’s No. 1 priority is taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment.”

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Congressional representatives are supposed to be public servants, after all, and the Democrats always say they don't want any kings. That means they should go through the same security lines and receive the same treatment as the rest of us.

This is fair, Democrats.

How many Americans didn't know this?

We do now.

It should be permanently ended.

They can pay $75 for TSA-Precheck like the rest of us.

Exactly.

A major kudos to Delta for leading the way on this.