Airports are loud, crowded and full of rules, and the security checkpoint can be the hardest few minutes of a trip for an autistic child. The good news is that TSA has a free support line, modified screening for children, and trained officers you can request in advance, and some Florida airports run their own programs. This guide explains what TSA and Florida airports say on their own pages as of 20 October 2026, and how to practice each step at home. Check again before you fly.
What is TSA Cares?
TSA Cares is TSA's help line and information service for "passengers with disabilities, medical conditions and individuals needing additional assistance." You can call TSA Cares at (855) 787-2227 with questions about screening, or to request help at the checkpoint.
The most useful option for many autism families is a Passenger Support Specialist (PSS). TSA describes a PSS as an officer with specialized training, "including how to effectively assist and communicate with individuals with disabilities or medical conditions." TSA lists "traveling with a child who has a disability or medical condition" and "difficulty following instructions due to a disability" among the reasons to ask for one.
- When to ask: TSA asks you to contact it "at least 72-hours prior to your departure," using the online form or by calling TSA Cares.
- What it is not: a PSS "does not exempt you from security screening," and TSA says the program "does not provide expedited screening."
- Wheelchairs: airport wheelchair service is provided by your airline, not TSA.
TSA also offers AskTSA: text "Travel" to 275-872, with live help from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.
How does TSA screen children and travelers with autism?
TSA's pages give several rules that matter for autistic children:
- Children 12 and younger. TSA has "modified screening procedures for children who appear to be 12 years old and younger," and officers consult the parent or guardian about the child's screening.
- Staying together. TSA says passengers with non-visible disabilities, naming autism spectrum disorder, "can be screened without being separated from their traveling companion." If the companion helps during screening, the companion is rescreened.
- Telling the officer. You can tell the TSA officer about your child's disability out loud, with TSA's printable disability notification card, or with medical documentation. You do not have to explain in front of the line; a card can do it quietly.
- Walking through. Children who can walk through the metal detector alone may do so separately from the parent, or you may carry a small child through. If they alarm, children may get multiple passes to reduce the need for a pat-down.
- Private screening. TSA says you may request private screening at any time.
- Everything on the belt. Toys, blankets, bags, strollers and car seats go through the X-ray. Plan for the moment your child's comfort item disappears into the machine.
If a screening experience did not meet your expectations, TSA says you may ask to speak with a supervisor at the checkpoint.
What do Florida airports offer?
Programs differ by airport, and not every airport lists them on its website. Here is what we could confirm from the airports' own pages.
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards. MCO says the lanyard is "discreet identification that the wearer, or their companion, has a hidden disability and might require additional assistance." It is voluntary, and you may add a contact name and phone number on the card, which helps if a child is separated. Lanyards are at the Information Booths in the terminals, and a valid flight itinerary or boarding pass is required. MCO is clear that wearing one "DOES NOT" fast-track you through security or give preferential treatment.
- Annie's Space Sensory Room. MCO describes a room "intended for travelers with sensory sensitivities and their families," in Terminal A, before security, near the food court across from Truist Bank. Children must be with an adult.
- Certified Autism Center. MCO's page says the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority is a Certified Autism Center.
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
TPA's own newsroom reported in January 2022 that free Sunflower lanyards were available at the Information Kiosk on Level 3 of the Main Terminal, and that TPA has long offered pre-flight tours to help guests get used to shuttles, escalators, security and boarding. That post is several years old, so call or check TPA's website to confirm what is offered now.
Other Florida airports
We could not confirm sensory rooms or lanyard programs on the official sites for Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Southwest Florida (Fort Myers) or Punta Gorda airports. That does not mean they have none. Check your airport's website or call its information line before you fly, and ask about any practice or familiarization events.
How do you practice the airport at home?
Practicing each step ahead of time, in small pieces, is one of the most useful things you can do. A simple plan over two to four weeks might look like this (an example, not a set schedule):
- Make a picture sequence of the trip: car, check-in, line, bins, walking through the scanner, shoes back on, waiting at the gate, boarding, seat belt, landing. See visual schedules at home.
- Practice the bin. At home, put the comfort item, shoes and a backpack into a laundry basket, count to ten, and get them back. Praise calm waiting.
- Practice a doorway "scanner." Walk through a doorway one at a time while a parent waits on the other side, then pretend a beep means "walk through again."
- Practice waiting in lines at the store or a bank. Use a timer and a "first wait, then reward" structure. Our guide to first-then and waiting explains how to build it slowly.
- Practice sitting buckled in a chair for the length of the flight segment, with headphones and a tablet.
- Visit the airport if your airport allows a familiarization visit, or simply watch planes from a public area.
Day-of-travel checklist
- Request a TSA Passenger Support Specialist at least 72 hours before departure.
- Print TSA's disability notification card and fill it in.
- Pick up a Sunflower lanyard if your airport offers one, and write a contact number on the card.
- Arrive with extra time so nobody is rushing.
- Pack a small, quick-to-reach bag of comfort items, snacks and headphones, knowing it goes through X-ray.
- Take a photo of your child that morning in case you are separated. See our wandering safety plan.
- Tell the airline at check-in if your child may need extra time to board or a seat away from the aisle.
- Decide who handles screening and who stays with your child.
If the trip is to a Florida theme park, see our guides to Disney's DAS and theme park prep. If you are moving to Florida, our honest look at Florida for autism families may help.
Can ABA help with travel skills?
For some children, yes. Skills like waiting in line, tolerating noise, following a short sequence of steps, handing over a preferred item and getting it back, and asking for a break can be goals in an ABA plan when they matter in daily life, not only for one trip. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst decides with your family whether they fit, and progress varies.
At Hope Center for Behavior Change, every plan is written by a BCBA and reviewed by our clinical director, and parents are trained weekly so practice continues at home. Contact us or call 561-337-8865 for a free consultation and a free check of your insurance benefits.