Exciting New TSA Policy is Now in Effect at the Boise Airport

With Fourth of July falling on a Friday in 2025, thousands of Idahoans took advantage of a three-day weekend to get out of town. For many, it was the first time they experienced some big changes at the Boise Airport. 

Myself included. Prior to the holiday weekend, the last time I flew out of the Boise Airport was December when we went to cheer the Broncos on at the Fiesta Bowl. I was surprised how much the airport has changed in just a few months. Some changes are very obvious. Others were more subtle. 

Major Construction Underway In Retail and Dining Spaces

About a year ago, the Boise Airport announced plans to completely reimagine their food, beverage and retail options. The changes will add local favorites like The STIL, Waffle Me Up, Blue Sky Bagels, Form + Function and Flying M as options. It will also transform what was Parilla Grill and 13th Street Pub and Grill into a new Treefort themed restaurant and bar and Cross Grains Brewhouse into Idaho Tap House. 

READ MORE: 7 Snacks Banned from Carry-On Bags at Idaho Airports

I planned on grabbing a drink at Cross Grains while I waited to board my flight, but it’s gone. There was a little cart serving beer to go next to the space under construction. Parilla’s gone. 13th Street Pub is gone. So are some of the retailers, like the magazine shop left of the security checkpoint. 

When the project is done, it’s going to be very cool but for now? Your food and drink options are more limited than they have been in the past. 

New Things You’ll See Going Through Security

“Oh, whoa. That’s new.” When you travel a lot, you’re basically on autopilot. Take off your shoes. Put your bag in the bin. Walk into the body scanner. Put your hands above your head.

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Not anymore. Without even thinking, I walked into the body scanner and put my hands up. That’s when I realized the TSA had replaced the millimeter wave scanners now in use at the Boise Airport. The new ones are not enclosed and display an image of someone holding their arms out, pointing downward toward their feet. 

This realization was as embarrassing as saying “you too” to a waiter when they tell you to enjoy your meal. The TSA agent just laughed and said “yup, they’re new.” There are also more of the bag scanners that allow you to keep your electronics and liquids in your bag which definitely speeds up an already efficient checkpoint at BOI. 

A Major Security Policy Is Coming to the Boise Airport

Coming back from Denver, my travel buddy and I split up DEN’s security checkpoint. He went through TSA PreCheck and I went through standard screening. A few hours after I got back to Boise, he text me:

Random question…did you have to take your shoes off today for security? 

I didn’t. Which should’ve seemed strange to me, but it was 4:30 a.m. so I just moved on, assuming that was unique to Denver’s new state-of-the-art security checkpoint that opened last year. 

That’s when he sent me a One Mile at a Time article with the headline “TSA No Longer Requires Shoes to Be Removed at Airport Security.” According to the article, the change kicked in the morning that we were traveling home. 

Whether the policy goes into effect at all American airports at once or rolls out in phases was as clear as mud so I reached out to Jessica Mayle, the TSA spokesperson for our region, for clarification. She referred me to a link to a press conference with Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem. 

During that press conference Noem said:

Today we have started a new "no shoes policy" with the Transportation Security Administration. TSA will no longer require travelers to remove their shoes when they go through our security checkpoints.

She did explain that there may still be times where someone will be asked to remove their shoes if the TSA feels additional screening is needed, but the standard will be that passengers will not have to remove their shoes.

During a Q&A session after the conference, Noem clarified that the new policy applies to everyone, whether they have a REAL ID or not. She also said the policy goes into effect at all American airports immediately.

When asked if the change would devalue the benefits of TSA PreCheck, Noem explained that those enrolled in TSA PreCheck will still enjoy benefits like not having to to remove their laptops, belts, jackets or liquids while going through screening. Keeping your shoes on used to be a perk unique to TSA PreCheck.