Why are US passports taking so long?
Why are US passports taking so long? They're blaming the epic wait times on lingering pandemic -related staffing shortages and a pause of online processing this year. That's left the passport agency flooded with a record-busting 500,000 applications a week. The deluge is on-track to top last year's 22 million passports issued, the State Department says.
Can I buy a plane ticket while my passport is being renewed?
Yes, you can book and pay for the flight. However, you'll need a valid passport in order to check-in, so be sure to leave enough time to receive your new passport. If you don't get your passport in time, you'll lose any money you've paid for your ticket that isn't refundable or lost to change fees.