For those
unaware, TSA PreCheck is a program that allows you to go through a
significantly dressed-down version of airport security. Instead of having to
take out your toiletries and laptop, and take off your shoes and belt, you
leave all your clothes on and place your carry-on bags directly onto the X-ray
machine. You also go through a metal detector instead of a full-body scanner.
These things
are all great, but what makes PreCheck really great is that it is its own line
at the airport. And nobody is ever in it. This is partly because very few
people have PreCheck, but it is also because PreCheck is so fast that it’d be
very difficult for a line to build up.
Beyond the
convenience of an easier security process though is the time that PreCheck
saves and the uncertainty it takes out of the security experience. Before
PreCheck I would always show up at least an hour before my flight, and
sometimes I’d barely make it if security lines were long. Now I can show up
only 30 minutes before my flight and have no problem making it. Every time.
There’s no variance in my wait time.
Applying for PreCheck
TSA PreCheck
is part of a larger program run by the U.S. government called Global Entry.
Global Entry allows you to bypass customs lines when returning from abroad. If
you get Global Entry, you also get PreCheck. Normally Global Entry costs $100
for a five-year membership. Even if you only fly 2-3 times a year, this is a
great deal in my opinion. But for me the fee was free because I have the Amex
Platinum credit card. One of the benefits of this card is reimbursement of the
Global Entry application fee.
In order to
get Global Entry you go to the GOES
site, click “Global Entry”, and apply. It takes a few weeks to hear back
about your approval. Once you’ve received approval you have to schedule an
in-person appointment to present your identification documents. There are enrollment centers
all over the country, and you schedule an appointment online to visit one.
I’ve read you can also just do a walk-in, but it doesn’t always work.
Global Entry Interview
I went to
the Ronald Reagan building in downtown DC to do my appointment because I live
nearby and there were tons of appointment times available. I waited about 10
minutes and was called into an office by an officer. They asked me a couple
questions about my recent international travel, took my picture, and I was
done. From walking in to leaving the total time was maybe 18 minutes. A couple
minutes after walking out I received an email that I had been fully approved.
Also in the email was my Trusted Traveler number, the number you need to enter
in your frequent flyer profile.
Turning Global Entry approval into PreCheck
security lines
In order to
be eligible for PreCheck, you need a few things to happen:
- Your airport must be a PreCheck location (list of airports
here)
- Your airline must subscribe to PreCheck at that specific airport
(click an individual airport in the list above to see what airlines have
PreCheck there)
- Your Trusted Traveler number must be attached to your
flight booking at least 72 hours before you fly.
So how do
you attach your Trusted Traveler number to your reservations? First, log in to
all of your frequent flyer program websites and add the number to your profile.
That should add the number to any future reservation you make using that
airline’s frequent flyer number. Also, if you book your flight on your airline’s
website, there will be a space to enter your number. I also direct message with
airlines on Twitter if I’m not sure my trusted traveler number has been added
to a specific reservation.
How to know if you’ve gotten PreCheck for
your flight
In order to
know before you get to the security line whether you’ll be able to go through
PreCheck, make sure to check in for your flight and look at your boarding pass.
For most airlines you can see “PreCheck” right on the
boarding pass, even on your phone. If you don’t see PreCheck on there, it
doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t get it, but you’re certainly not guaranteed
it.
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