Interesting; thanks for that... Delta doesn't say anything about passport validity in their CoC but I'll probably renew it ahead of time anyway. This time next year I'll (hopefully) be on a cruise to Alaska that departs from Canada, so I'll need it then anyway.

New passport, standard handling:

03/19/2021 - Applied at USPS
04/20/2021 - In process / check deposited
05/21/2021 - Approved
05/21/2021 - Received USPS Priortiy Mail tracking #
05/26/2021 - Received Passport book
05/28/2021 - Received Passport card

Please Help!
 

So I submitted my application, routine process back in mid-March, updated to In Progress on April 1 online. Flight's schedule to leave June 11. I have just spent 3 hours refreshing the screen to make an appointment at a passport agency about every 30 seconds and finally have an appointment for Monday, June 7. This is more than 3 business days before my departure. If I schedule a cheap flight for say June 9 and then cancel it after I have the passport in hand, can I get my money back? Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could book the cheapest, cancellable flight? Any suggestions are appreciated!!

Have you called to try to change your application to "expedited" status :)r called one of your Federal elected officials? That's where I'd go next, not another application.

That's something I tried to do. But what they told me is that they may or may not choose to expedite after it's "in progress" and if my credit card isn't charged then they chose not to. No word on when they expedite and when they don't. My credit card hasn't been charged so now I can still stay stressed for the next 4 weeks... :(

My wife's first US passport, routine handling:

03/31/2021 - Applied at USPS
04/03/2021 - Delivered to Philadelphia processing center (according to USPS employee who looked up tracking # for me)
05/05/2021 - "In process" status and check deposited
05/25/2021 - Shipped with USPS Priority Mail tracking # (no estimated delivery date yet but shipped from Little Rock, AR)

Kid's passports renewal in-process. Old passports are still valid. Requested new books only. Planned international travel on the end of May.

4/14/21: Mailed application from San Mateo, CA to Irving, TX via first class mail
4/16/21: Application received in Irving, TX with tracking number on the envelope
5/10/21: Called to contact center, got an advice to wait for couple more days until 4 weeks processing period gone.
5/12/21: Application Status showed up as "In Process" on website with a locator number and 10-12 week estimate
5/12/21: Cashed check appeared on my bank account
5/12/21: Called to contact center and requested expedited service including express delivery with my CC and explained travel plans. At the same time, I was told the decision about expedited service will be made within 20 business days.
5/25/21: My CC was charged with fees for expedited processing. So, there is still a hope to get them in 3 days however I'm looking for travel rescheduling options....

A New Question
 

So I have gotten in touch with a senator and they sounded very promising. What kind of results did you guys experience with this? Like how long did it take from reaching out to senator to passport in hand? Did you receive updates from the senator's staff on the proceeding with the process, or were the only updates via the passport status updates online through the passport agencies? Still slightly in panic mode that it will not be processed in time.

Another question (I know I have a lot! Completely new to this whole passport thing.): If we were to obtain an appointment at a passport agency, would the original application completed back in March be shipped to the appointment location? Or would we use the new documents we bring to get a same day passport and the original application is essentially voided?

I am hoping to draw on you guys' experience. Thanks a ton!! :)

After reading through this thread I made the decision to renew my passport in person. I let it expire in 2020 and didn't bother to attempt to renew until a few months ago. About 7 weeks ago I gathered everything and wanted to renew but was put off by the times I was seeing on this thread.

In order to do anything in person you need an appointment. The appointments can be made online or on the phone. The phone agents are useless, worse than calling tech support or a foreign airline (there's at least a language barrier there that explains it, not so with these guys...)

The website says you can schedule up to ten days before your international travel plans, but the site only shows you 9 days out 99% of the time. You'll get false positive space everywhere. I tried to schedule in Atlanta for several days, checking at midnight, 2am, 4am, 6am, 8am, throughout the day. No changes. Never any open spots. A few other cities would say there were appointments but when you click through to the next page, you wouldn't get any times available. Basically, space opens up 10 days out, but the site only shows 9 days out, so it'll say there's space because there is on day 10, but it can't figure out how to show you day 10. I was finally able to snag a day 10 spot in New Orleans and when I called the agent, he was surprised because he couldn't see any day 10 spots anywhere.

The cost to the State Department is the same in person as it is via mail, the expedited rate. I had an 8:30am appointment, there were three windows open, but 6 actual windows. 4 people ahead of me. No one behind me. They checked my paperwork, collected the money, and I was out in under 15 minutes. There was no one behind me when I left. So clearly there's additional capacity they just aren't doing it.

I was able to pick up my new passport 3 hours later. When I arrived, shortly before noon, they weren't processing new people, just distributing that days passports. Only one window was open this time. Again, they have the capacity to do more they just aren't.

Why it would take months to get a renewal via mail is beyond me if I can go in person and get in same day...

Update

5/18/21: Called to expedite applications. Was told expediting not guaranteed.
5/26/21: Received alert from Amex that my card was charged $77.56 for each of the two applications (expediting fee + expedited mailing). Status online still shows "routine service".

Edited 5/27: Status changed to "Expedited" overnight. Now it says 4-6 weeks.


Updated June 7:

6/4/21: Received alert with "Approved" and after a couple of hours "Shipped" with UPS overnight tracking number.
6/7/21: Received!

1. Price
2. Volume

How long did you end up spending on getting this appointment? did you figure out when they post new slots?

I spent the better part of four days trying to get an appointment. I'm in Atlanta and my office never showed availability, not even ghost availability. The best I can tell you is to search everywhere. I almost booked one in CT and MSP. MSY was closer and cheaper for me to get to. Even after I got my slot I continued to check ATL for a spot and one never materialized. My best guess is that it randomly shows that 10th day out and those get booked ASAP by people.

It's the same price for an in person appointment as it is for expedited via mail. It's still ridiculous how long it takes. Why is it a manual process? All they're doing is adding a new picture to my passport. Why is that so expensive?

3/02/21: Mailed application by Priority mail
3/12/21: Application received in Philadelphia, PA (a week late, thanks USPS)
4/09/21: Status updated to "In Process" and check cashed
5/24/21: Status updated to Approved and Shipped
5/26/21: Received!

Regular processing it took just over 10 weeks in the hands of the passport office to get to approved status. Glad to be reunited with my passport!

4/19: Applied in person for my first US passport (recently naturalized)
5/19: Application Status changed to: "In Process"

I have no international travel planned, so I applied for standard processing. But I have to say I find 14-17 weeks (10-12 weeks plus 4-5 weeks of "transit" time from the acceptance facility plus mailing time once issued) is excessive.