In a major shift that promises to speed up US airport security lines, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Tuesday that travellers will no longer need to remove their shoes during Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screenings.

Noem said a recent pilot programme showed that updated screening equipment allows for efficient detection without requiring passengers to take off their footwear.

“TSA will no longer require travellers to remove their shoes when they go through security checkpoints,” Noem said in a press briefing. “The new technology keeps our airports safe and makes travel less frustrating.”

@Sec_Noem: “TSA will no longer require travelers to remove their shoes when they go through our security checkpoints.” pic.twitter.com/mfs9wxizHO— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 8, 2025

However, she cautioned that in some cases, passengers may still be asked to remove shoes “if we think additional layers of screening are necessary.”

“We’re focused on security, but also on making the passenger experience better,” Noem said. “It’s about time we stepped into the future of airport screening.”

The policy ends immediately nationwide.

The decision marks the most significant change to TSA protocols in years and comes amid growing pressure to make air travel less burdensome. Earlier this year, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — appointed by President Donald Trump — posted on social media that “TSA is the #1 travel complaint.” He later said he had discussed solutions with Secretary Noem.

The travel newsletter Gate Access first reported that a change to the shoe rule was imminent. Until now, only TSA PreCheck members — who pay about $80 for five years of expedited screening — could keep their shoes on. The new rule extends that benefit to all travellers ages 12 to 75.

The TSA, established in 2001 after President George W. Bush signed legislation two months post-9/11, began federalising airport screening. This replaced the private security companies previously used by airlines. A few years later, in 2006, the agency mandated the removal of shoes during security screenings, a direct response to “shoe bomber” Richard Reid’s failed attempt to detonate explosives on a flight from Paris to Miami in late 2001.

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With inputs from Associated Press