Paid line-sitters boom as US airport delays spark a new hustle
If you've been to the airport lately, you know it's absolute chaos. Across the country, travelers are facing unusually long lines at TSA checkpoints and delays caused by persistent staff shortages during the partial federal government shutdown. For some, it's a nightmare. For others, it's the birth of the next brilliant side hustle.
New Yorkers have never lacked creativity when it comes to making extra cash—just ask the woman who gets paid to sit in strangers' cars to help them dodge alternate-side parking tickets. Now, they're capitalizing on airport mayhem: the latest gig? Getting paid to wait in TSA lines.
In case you didn't know, NYC has its own squad of professional line-sitters. They're called the Same Ole Line Dudes, and they'll wait in line for you—whether it's for designer sample sales, SNL standby tickets, or concert queues. No line is too long or too trivial, so of course, they've now added TSA checkpoints to their growing list of services.
The team's founder told The Post: "We're currently getting requests to hold spots in TSA lines at LaGuardia and JFK."
Same Ole Line Dudes charge $25 an hour, with a two-hour minimum. Honestly, that's not a bad deal for anyone who'd rather pay a little extra than waste time in a notoriously slow-moving line—especially when New Yorkers are used to living at breakneck speed.
And since people are constantly passing through airports, the Same Ole Line Dudes aren't the only ones jumping on the trend—others are now offering to wait in line for travelers, for a fee.
One man even went viral for advertising his services at three major airports, with rates ranging from $600 to $1,200. He brands himself as the ultimate stand-in, promising "strong legs, a strong bladder, and zero complaints"—and for the right price, he'll hold your spot until you breeze through TSA.
Call it chaotic, call it genius—either way, it's quintessentially New York.
On one hand, shelling out hundreds—or even just fifty—dollars to skip a TSA line might sound a little crazy. On the other, if it means gliding through security while someone else stands there scrolling, shuffling, and inching forward? Suddenly, it makes perfect sense.
Whether this side hustle sticks around or fades once airport chaos subsides, one thing is certain: if there's a line in New York, someone will find a way to monetize it.
Flying soon? Here's how to check TSA wait times at JFK, LGA, and EWR.
