TSA Cares is a free program that can provide additional assistance during airport security screening for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions, and other special circumstances, including autistic travelers. Families can request assistance from a Passenger Support Specialist (PSS) before traveling.
I have personally used TSA Cares while flying alone internationally with my two autistic boys. While TSA Cares doesn’t eliminate security screening or guarantee that every airport experience will go perfectly, having additional support through the checkpoint can make an already stressful part of flying easier to navigate.
In this guide, I’ll explain how to request TSA Cares, what assistance you may receive at the airport, what TSA Cares doesn’t do, and what happened when I used the program with my own family.
How to Request TSA Cares for an Autistic Traveler
TSA recommends contacting TSA Cares at least 72 hours before your flight if you would like to request assistance from a Passenger Support Specialist at the security checkpoint.
When requesting assistance, provide your travel information and explain what type of support may help during screening. Be specific about your child’s needs rather than simply saying that your child is autistic. For example, you may want TSA to know if your child has difficulty waiting, following multi-step directions, being touched, separating from a caregiver, handling loud or crowded environments, or communicating with unfamiliar people.
Does TSA Cares Let You Skip Airport Security?
No. TSA Cares does not allow you to skip airport security. Every traveler is still required to undergo security screening.
TSA Cares is designed to provide additional assistance through the screening process. Depending on availability and your circumstances, that may include help from a Passenger Support Specialist. If a Passenger Support Specialist isn’t available, TSA’s current guidance says travelers may ask for a Supervisory TSA Officer at the checkpoint.
My Experience Using TSA Cares With My Autistic Children
I personally used TSA Cares when I traveled alone internationally with my two autistic boys to Turkey. I was already managing two kids, carry-ons, airport security, and an international flight, so having additional help getting through the security process was one less thing I had to manage on my own.
Before our trip, I contacted TSA Cares and provided our flight information along with information about my boys and the assistance we needed. At the airport, we were connected with a Passenger Support Specialist who helped us navigate the security screening process.
What I appreciated most wasn’t that we got to skip security, because we didn’t. It was having someone there who understood that we might need a little more time and assistance getting through the checkpoint.
My experience with TSA Cares was positive, but I would not expect every airport or every trip to work exactly the same way. Passenger Support Specialists and the assistance available can vary, and TSA Cares does not exempt anyone from security screening.
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Do I Need a TSA Notification Card for Autism?
No, you do not need a TSA Notification Card simply because your child is autistic. The card is optional and can be used to discreetly communicate a disability, medical condition, or other circumstance that may affect security screening.
You can print the card before traveling and write in the condition or information you want TSA officers to know. However, the card does not provide special screening privileges and does not exempt the traveler from security screening.
For some autistic travelers, the card may be helpful because it allows a parent or traveler to communicate important information without having to explain everything verbally in a crowded security line.
For example, you might use the card to let an officer know that your child is autistic, has difficulty communicating with unfamiliar people, may not respond to verbal directions right away, or becomes distressed when touched.
The card doesn’t guarantee a particular screening procedure, but it can be another communication tool.
What If a Passenger Support Specialist Isn’t Available?
Even if you’ve requested TSA Cares ahead of time, I would still arrive prepared to advocate for your child’s needs. If you need assistance during screening, TSA says travelers can ask for a Passenger Support Specialist or a Supervisory TSA Officer at the checkpoint.
I also recommend keeping any information you may need easily accessible rather than buried in your carry-on. The goal isn’t to plan for everything to go wrong. It’s simply to know what your options are if the airport experience doesn’t go exactly as expected.
Is TSA Cares the Same as TSA PreCheck?
No. TSA Cares and TSA PreCheck are two different programs. TSA Cares provides assistance during security screening for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions, and other special circumstances. TSA PreCheck is an expedited screening program for eligible travelers.
Having TSA PreCheck does not replace TSA Cares if your child needs additional assistance during screening, and using TSA Cares does not automatically give your family TSA PreCheck benefits.
Families can use both programs if eligible. For some autistic travelers, the combination of a potentially more streamlined PreCheck screening process and additional support through TSA Cares may make airport security easier to navigate.
What About the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower?
Some airports also participate in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, which allows travelers with non-visible disabilities to voluntarily wear a sunflower lanyard as a discreet indication that they may need additional time, patience, or assistance.
The Sunflower Lanyard is separate from TSA Cares and doesn’t provide special security privileges. Availability and participation vary by airport.
I cover additional airport accessibility resources, sensory spaces, and programs in my guide to autism-friendly airports.
If your child would benefit from practicing the airport and boarding experience before an actual trip, programs such as Wings for Autism offer airport rehearsal events in participating communities.
Other Autism-Friendly Airport Resources
TSA Cares can help with the security-screening portion of your trip, but airport accessibility doesn’t end once you leave the checkpoint.
Some airports offer additional resources that may help autistic travelers, including sensory rooms or quieter spaces, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programs, airport rehearsal programs, and other accessibility services. What’s available varies significantly between airports.
Before flying, I recommend checking your departure, connection, and arrival airports individually rather than assuming the same resources will be available everywhere.
Looking for more airport resources? Read my guide to autism-friendly airports for sensory spaces and other programs that may help make flying easier.
Is TSA Cares Worth Using for an Autistic Child?
Based on my experience, I think TSA Cares is absolutely worth requesting if your autistic child may need additional support getting through airport security. It’s free, and having a Passenger Support Specialist available can make it easier to communicate your child’s needs and navigate the screening process.
TSA Cares won’t eliminate every difficult part of airport security, and it doesn’t allow your family to skip screening. Your experience may also vary depending on the airport, staffing, and your child’s individual needs. But when I traveled internationally alone with my two autistic boys, having that additional support made a stressful part of our travel day easier for me to manage.
I recommend requesting TSA Cares at least 72 hours before your flight, being specific about the support your child may need, and still arriving prepared with the sensory tools and strategies that normally help your child through unfamiliar or overwhelming environments.
Flying soon? Read my guide to flying with an autistic child for more tips on preparing for the airport and the flight itself.
Need Help Planning a Flight With an Autistic Child?
Airport security is only one part of flying with an autistic child. Choosing flights, navigating connections, preparing for the airport, managing sensory needs, and figuring out what accommodations are available can all affect how the travel day goes.
Through Spectrum Getaways, I help families plan trips around their child’s individual needs from the airport experience through the vacation itself. I can help you think through flights, accommodations, transportation, and the little details that can make traveling feel more manageable.
Ready to start planning? Contact Spectrum Getaways and let’s plan a trip that works for your family.
2 Responses
My sister doesn’t want me to travel alone . I’m an adult with Autism . I would love to be with my Sister who lives in Moline IL by September going from Farmington NM .
You could hire an aid to travel with you or request assistance from the airline or have your sister come to NM and fly with you to her home.