Travelers across the country are standing in longer airport security lines and paying more at the pump. Transportation and Security Administration agents just missed their first paycheck after Congress could not agree on funding related to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Average gas prices are up 76 cents per gallon nationwide, since the war began in Iran, per the American Automobile Association.

What you need to know: 

  • Arrive more than 2 hours in advance for domestic flights and more than 3 hours in advance for international flights. 
  • In Burlington, North Carolina the current average price for regular fuel is $3.61 per gallon. For premium gas, it is $4.43 per gallon. 

Airport security lines slow down

TSA security wait times are not higher than normal at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, according to Stephanie Hawco, Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority director of external communications. 

“We've been very fortunate here,” Hawco said. “We have not experienced the kind of lines that you've seen at many other airports around the country.” 

But it depends on the day. TSA employees are calling out of work. The Department of Homeland Security reported that callout rates for TSA agents hit a record high nationwide March 14, with the highest single-day airport callout rate reaching 55%. 

The partial shutdown started Feb. 14, and stops funding for DHS, which includes pay for TSA agents. Thousands of federal workers are currently not being paid.

Staffing shortages are putting a strain on airport travel. TSA told Elon News Network in a statement that travelers should check with their airline regarding the status of their flight, airport websites or apps for security wait times and arrive early to avoid delays. 

Hawco said travelers should arrive two hours in advance for domestic flights and three hours in advance for international flights. 

Some airports are seeing long security lines, such as Newark Liberty International Airport where one terminal’s general wait time was 43 min on March 18. 

The strain is not just for travelers. This is the second time in less than six months that TSA agents are working without pay. 

“We have been assisting the TSA employees in whatever way we can,” Hawco said. “We have collected some gift cards very recently that will be distributed to them. We did some things to help back in the fall during the last shutdown and will continue to do that to support them.”

RDU is not the only airport collecting gift cards for TSA agents. Some airports have started collecting canned goods and creating food pantries. Donations are being collected at airports across the country from New York to Seattle. 

Not all donations can be accepted. Government employees are subject to federal regulations. The gift cards must be valued at $20 or less, and employees are not allowed to accept cash nor cash-equivalent cards, such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express gift cards. Grocery store and gas station gift cards are acceptable. 

Rising prices at the pump 

The most common car in North Carolina is a Toyota Rav4, according to Car and Driver. On average, the car model has a fuel tank capacity of 15.2 gallons. To fill up a year ago, it would cost a driver $41.72. Today, it will cost the same driver $54.64 to fill up from empty. 

The average cost for regular unleaded fuel in North Carolina is up around 76 cents per gallon, compared to March 18, 2025. 

In Burlington, the current average price for regular unleaded fuel is $3.61 per gallon. For premium gas, it’s $4.43 per gallon. 

The price for regular unleaded gas in Burlington hit a record high in June 2022 when drivers paid $4.67 per gallon.  

The rise in gas prices stems from the war in Iran, and the global price for oil is up. 

About 60% of the crude oil that runs through U.S. refineries is extracted in the country, while 70% of crude oil imports come from Canada and Mexico, according to American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers. 

“We're a net exporter, which means that we sell more oil to the rest of the world than we buy from the rest of the world,” said Brandon Sheridan, professor of economics at Elon University. 

Sheridan said as global markets increase their prices for oil, the U.S. adjusts to meet its competitors where they are. 

“There's no world in which oil is going to be substantially cheaper in the U.S. than it is on the global market,” Sheridan said. 

Brent crude oil is the main global oil benchmark. As of March 18, Brent trading is around $103 per barrel of oil, according to Business Insider. There are 42 gallons of oil in a barrel. This time last year, the price was around $70.42 per barrel. 

Between the winter and summer seasons, prices for gas typically rise. Gas stations usually switch over to a more expensive blend of gasoline for environmental regulation purposes, Sheridan said. He also said there’s more of a demand for fuel in the warmer months. 

But, the war in Iran is leading the spike. 

“You're afraid there's going to be a shortage of oil, which is the raw input needed to make gasoline, so you're going to start charging more for gas not because the demand has gone up, but because you're worried about future supply, and you're trying to space out the usage for people,” Sheridan said. “And so the price mechanism is what helps us ration, ration that gasoline.” 

As the conflict continues in the Middle East, daily oil exports from the region have dropped by at least 60%. Even though the U.S. doesn’t get most of its oil from the area, Sheridan said he doesn’t see the prices falling anytime soon.

“The challenge with energy shocks like this is it ripples through the entire economy. So consumers feel it when they're trying to get gas,” Sheridan said. “Trucking companies and logistic companies are going to feel it when they're trying to get goods from one place to the other.”

Sheridan said if the high oil costs continue, flights for the summer are going to get more expensive too. He said students flying home after the end of the school year should look into buying tickets now instead of waiting. 

“If you're planning to fly home for summer, you should be definitely already booking that flight,” Sheridan said.