After nearly two decades, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is phasing out its policy requiring airline passengers to remove their shoes at security checkpoints—a rule that has long frustrated travelers.

According to internal sources and a memo obtained by ABC News, the new policy will allow passengers to keep their shoes on in general screening lines at many major airports across the country. The change, which has not yet been publicly announced, is expected to roll out nationwide in the coming months.

Until now, the exemption applied mostly to travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck. Under the new directive, all passengers will be allowed to leave their shoes on—unless they trigger an alarm during screening. In such cases, additional checks may still require shoe removal.

The memo, distributed to TSA officers nationwide last week, signals a significant shift in airport screening procedures. Officials say the goal is to speed up lines and enhance passenger convenience without compromising security.

The shoe-removal mandate began in 2006, a response to the 2001 failed shoe bomb attempt by Richard Reid aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. Reid’s plot was thwarted when passengers and crew restrained him mid-flight.

TSA has since explored technology-based alternatives to streamline screening. This latest policy shift suggests confidence in newer security tools that can detect threats more effectively without relying on blanket measures.

Travelers should still expect varying implementation timelines at different airports, as TSA finalizes logistics and training for the transition.