TSA Says These Are the Best Airport Sneakers

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(Image credit: AKM-GSI)

Anxious traveler or not, getting held up at the airport is the not the best way to kick off a vacation. Which is why mastering the ins and outs of TSA is crucial to easy, breezy air travel. While we've talked to former-agents about what to avoid wearing before, we thought it best to investigate a little further. With the popularity of sneakers at the airport, what are the best and worst styles to wear?

First things first, Lisa Farbstein, the TSA's spokesperson notes, "the best footwear is the kind you don't take off at all. Global entry and TSA pre-check are my recommendation if you find it burdensome." Signing up for the programs allows you to keep on your shoes and belt, along with eliminating the need to take your laptop out of your bag, but while ideal, the program isn't an option for all fliers.

With that in mind, Farbstein has some reccommendations. "As it relates to sneakers, some things are obvious," she says. "Styles you can slip on and off, and those with velcro straps don't take as long." Conversely, Farbstein notes that certain styles can be especially tricky, "high tops can take longer to unlace and relace," she adds that after her own experience navigating TSA in a pair of tricky-to-remove cowboy boots, she hasn't made the same mistake since, "I learned by experience."

Bottom line: "the ideal is a pair of shoes you don't have to take off, but otherwise a slip-on sneaker is the way to go (these are my go-to airport sneakers, BTW). So, with that expert advice in mind, we rounded up the best easy on-and-off sneakers to try for your next trip to the airport. 

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Aemilia Madden
Contributor