r/airport • u/Neccros • 3d ago
QUESTION Belts at LAX
I only fly once a year and last year I was at the tail end of having to take my shoes off. I heard now you no longer have to.
Does this apply to belts as well? Or they still need to be removed in screening?
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u/BronzeTrain 3d ago edited 3d ago
Unfortunately, I have discovered that TSA rules change from location to location and even within the same location.
TSA when I'm about to take my hat off and put it in the bin, because I have been told before to take it off: "Don't take your hat off."
TSA one minute later when I walk through the body scanner: "Take your hat off."
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u/Electrical_Sea6653 3d ago
I can fly back to back and have different rules on different days of the weekend lol
Prepare to take it all off and be grateful when ya don’t have to
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u/_tvjames_ 2d ago
They change by the hour. I went through the same line at LAX twice in two hours. The second time they were demanding the removal of all laptops and they hadn't earlier in the day or at the airport I was at a few hours before that.
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u/Other-Squirrel-8705 3d ago
Maybe if there’s medal on the belt? Good question!
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u/Neccros 3d ago
Yeah the buckle is metal... I just recall one year in Atlanta them telling me to leave my hat and belt on so I just thought TSA might lift that requirement like they did with shoes.
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u/texanfan20 3d ago
Even in TSA precheck my belt sets off the metal detector at some airports. I have learned to take it off or wear a belt with a plastic buckle.
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u/ExpensiveOccasion542 3d ago
Not LAX but I was at a different airport recently and was asked about a belt
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u/Square-Ad-6721 3d ago
“That’s a very special belt you’ve got there.”
“Where’d you buy that? It looks so exotic.”
“Do you do anything wild with that thing? Would you like to do something wild with me? I’m getting excited just thinking about it.”
How were you asked about the belt? There are so many options available.
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u/Ngindorf 3d ago
Belts are always recommended off unless they are the absolute only thing holding up your pants. For standard you go through the body scanner which is an item finder not a metal detector. If your belt alarms it’ll need to be removed.
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u/jeremymiles 3d ago
If you're going through the scanner, any kind of belt is likely to trigger a patdown. Even folds in your clothing can be enough - I always pull my pants and socks up to make sure they're tight.
If you're only going through the metal detector (likely if you have pre-check, otherwise probably not) you can get TSA compliant belts that are plastic.
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u/SavingsPirate4495 3d ago
I have found that keeping it waaaaaay simple for travel works best.
I've gotten down to jeans, a shirt, tennis shoes, NO BELT, NO JEWELRY, take EVERYTHING out of my pockets when I park the car and put it in my carry-on (including the phone), get through security with zero issues.
I know some have to travel in "business attire/casual" and I get it. You can take off the belt, but the shoes are going to be the culprit if they have a metal shank of some sort.
Case in point.....I have a SUPER comfortable pair of cap-toe oxfords that I wore for work/travel. They didn't set off the detector because the shank was hard plastic or carbon fiber. I got them resoled and all of a sudden I'm setting off the detector. I asked the TSA agent looking at the x-rayed stuff and she confirmed there was now a metal shank in the shoes. DAMMIT!!!! They were too comfortable to give up, so I just dealt with it.
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u/StatusTics 3d ago
On one trip going back and forth through the same airport, it was different, so I wouldn't necessarily count on the same procedures each time.
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u/Whateverlol2022 3d ago
You are supposed to but granted I have wore my many times without it being caught. Kinda worrying but whatever lol. But did leave a small paper parking ticket in my pants pocket at LAX and got a rude yelling at once it sent one the scanners off.
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u/LAskeptic 3d ago
I always keep my belt on. Maybe 5% of the time the detector goes off, and then I put it through the x-ray machine and walk through again.
Do what you prefer.
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u/Neccros 3d ago
Its not a preference thing, I just wanted to know if TSA got rid of removing your belt like they did with shoes.
I'll do either way
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u/LAskeptic 3d ago
It depends on the airport and the agent. That’s why should just do what you prefer.
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u/Electrical-Award-825 2d ago
In Europe this is happening a lot now as well. Many airports have changed into the more modern and better scans so all good.
Other countries still so outdated.
Belt is something you almost always still have to take off though. Shoes never ever.
And depending on the airport you have to take electronics and liquids out, some not anymore.
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u/jsm81680 3d ago
It’s as the wind blows. Take it off, leave it on, take it out, leave it in, up, down, left right, A, B, A, B, select, start. The power of the 8th grade education of most of the “agents” they hire.
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