I am now more likely to take a nonstop flight than a connection involving an extra trip through security, even if it means paying more and flying outside my preferred alliance.

On trips to Hawaii now, I only go to Oahu because I hate getting re-screened at the interisland terminal for flights to the other islands. (I fly to Hawaii from Japan so have to go through security again for the interisland flights.)

I am also much more likely to drive than fly when the distance isn't too long. Just over a year ago I drove from Peoria to central Nebraska (9 hours) rather than fly. In the pre-TSA days, that would have been unthinkable for me.

If I make an interline connection somewhere, I always research in advance which airlines use which terminals at the connecting airport so I can connect without changing terminals and having to get re-screened.

How have the rest of you altered your travel patterns to minimize your interaction with the TSA?

Sure have - I now avoid the US unless I really really really have to go there - I spend my hard earnt in other countries that treat me as a valued contributor to their economy when I spend my money there.

Dave

Yes, anything less than 500 miles, one way, and I drive. The time difference really isn't that much either since travel to the airport = one hour. Get to the airport two hours early. Fly for one hour. Get luggage and rental car = one hour. Drive to hotel (might be one hour).

An entire day gone.

Same here, for several years now.

I will gladly drive for 6 hours (and did it every week for 5 months this year) rather than fly.

When we go on vacation, I would much rather drive for 9 hours than fly.

I minimise my exposure to US travel.
I have to go once or twice a year and I always dread it.

Yep, regularly. Drive more, fly less, avoid it as much as I can.

Yes, although the cut-off for me is now roughly 300 miles. I live in Dallas and used to always fly to Oklahoma City, Austin and Houston. Now I drive.

Anything I can fit in a "travel day" I will drive. So pretty much anywhere I can get in 24 hours in the car, that is the way I will go. More than 24 or something that is rushed I will fly.

And after reading about today's new nonsense regulations, I have shelved two biz-class international trips I planned to make in Jan and Feb.

Was also going to book today the first of many flights to LAX for 2010, but I'm putting that off, too, until we see what the rest of the fallout is from the TSA knee-jerk to the AMS flight. At the minimum, I'll see how the Denver domestic trip goes in early January before deciding.

Whatever. This makes me laugh. I travel every week through major airports. I really dislike TSA, however, things are not as bad as you all make it out to be. And for those of you avoiding the US because of the TSA, you must also be avoiding much of Europe which has far more arbitrary security rules and always has had (at least since the '80's when I can remember)

If you really think that TSA is ruining your ability to fly, enough to make you take another mode of transportation, than by all means, keep doing whatever you are doing, because my check in and security experience, is really more than acceptable, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can be dropped off at ORD 30 minutes before take off and make my flight at the gate. Or I could drive to DC I suppose. You can have your road trip. I'll take the 70 minute flight, in and out of both airports in less than 2.5 hours total time. You might be in Indiana by then :-)

I second "whatever". It's like saying that you don't want to drive because there are cops out there.

JP

TSA definitely affects my choice of connection points while traveling within the US. Specificially, if presented with the choice of a connection in LAX or a connection in SLC, I definitely choose the SLC connection because it can be made without exiting and reclearing security; in LAX, a T3-T5 connection can't be made airside, which adds an hour or so to the time I need to allow for a connection.

I agree with both of you. The TSA checkpoints don't disrupt my travel plans at all. Like many other things, they could be more efficient, but the process doesn't really bother me much.

When I land in HNL to go to KOA you take the wiki-wiki shuttle and do not go through security again. Even if you are rescreened, the lines are usually short.
Are you referring to an agricultural inspection screening for fruit flies and other pests?