Can you opt out of TSA facial recognition?

TSA facial recognition: opting out and what it means

You can opt out of TSA facial recognition under the current process. The key point for travelers is that opting out is not meant to require additional time in the airport—experts say the opt-out option should not automatically slow down your screening.

In practical terms, the choice is about how TSA verifies your identity during screening. If you prefer not to participate in facial recognition, the process should route you through an alternative identity verification method rather than treating it as a refusal to travel.

What this changes for planning

• You still have to go through security screening like any other passenger.
• The identity verification step should be handled without making you wait longer, according to experts.

Why it matters

Facial recognition is increasingly used for identity matching in travel systems, and many travelers want to understand whether they can control how their data is used. Having a clear opt-out path helps travelers plan their arrival time based on security throughput rather than fearing that a refusal option could add extra delays.

If you’re concerned about privacy or data use, the opt-out option is a planning factor you can consider ahead of time—along with arriving early enough for standard TSA lines. But based on expert guidance, choosing to opt out shouldn’t be a scheduling risk by itself.