How to Get TSA PreCheck in 4 Easy Steps: It's not just for frequent fliers!
I recently got TSA PreCheck and it was so easy and painless that I'm embarrassed I hadn't done it sooner! I travel maybe four times a year max and never thought TSA PreCheck was for "regular" folks who just fly for an annual vacation or to visit family.
I'll share exactly how to apply for and get TSA PreCheck (in 4 simple steps) and answer the many questions about the PreCheck program that I had before I went through the process.
If you love to travel, even if just a few times a year, and want to zip through security then keep scrolling!
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What is TSA PreCheck?
TSA PreCheck is a U.S. government program that screens individuals before travel and gives them a faster, easier security screening experience at over 200 airports.
The PreCheck tagline is "saves you time and stress" and that is exactly what PreCheck will do.
How many airlines participate in TSA PreCheck?
There are currently 87 airlines who participate in TSA PreCheck, including the most popular US domestic airlines:
Alaska Airlines
Allegiant Air
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Frontier Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
JetBlue Airways
Southwest Airlines
Spirit Airlines
United Airlines
Virgin Atlantic
Does my airport have a TSA PreCheck line?
TSA PreCheck is currently available at over 200 airports in the United States. To check if it is available at your local airport (or the airports you will be traveling to), just click this link and search for any airport: TSA government website.
What are the benefits of TSA PreCheck?
When you travel with TSA PreCheck you will save time and aggravation by utilizing special TSA PreCheck security lanes.
My husband travels for business and has had TSA PreCheck for about 10 years. On family vacations he will leave me and the kids to fend for ourselves in the painfully long security lines while he waltzes through the TSA PreCheck line.
He usually has time to get a snack, read a few chapters of a book on Kindle, and play Quordle on his phone before we're done.
And by "done" I mean we usually emerge from the security checkpoint stressed, disorganized, and cranky. It takes another 5 minutes to find a bench to put on our shoes, squeeze our 3-1-1 bags and laptops back inside our personal items, all while silently praying we didn't accidentally leave any belongings in a gross TSA bin.
Security wait time is significantly less when using TSA PreCheck.
Security wait times depend on the time of day and the airport. Traveling at 9 pm? It's likely you'll wait just a few minutes. Flying at 5 pm on a Sunday night? Your wait could be up to an hour. Source.
93% of travelers using TSA PreCheck waited an average of just 5 minutes. Source.
No more taking off your shoes (or light jacket) when you have PreCheck.
TSA PreCheck members do not have to remove these items when going through security:
Shoes
Belts
3-1-1 compliant bag
Light jacket/outerwear
Laptop or tablet from bag
If you've ever wrestled with untying shoelaces while standing in line, digging for your 3-1-1 bag that sank to the bottom of your backpack or hauling your laptop out of your personal item all with impatient travelers, then imagine the freedom and ease of leaving your shoes on and all your personal belongings safely packed in your bag! It is life-changing.
A few years ago I decided I was DONE lugging heavy tote bags, laptop cases, backpacks, or duffel bags through the airport for my personal item. I purchased a wheeled underseat bag and will never look back! (Browse underseat travel bags on Amazon.)
Who is eligible for TSA PreCheck?
To be eligible for TSA PreCheck you must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident and haven't been convicted of certain crimes.
TSA PreCheck lasts for 5 years and costs $85. The $85 fee must be paid with a credit card, money order, or certified/cashier's check.
How to apply for TSA PreCheck in 4 simple steps.
This is the start of TSA’s online application for PreCheck.
Step 1: Fill out the online TSA PreCheck application and schedule your in-person interview.
Before filling out the application I recommend you check to be certain your airport offers PreCheck (click to find out) and also see if a location for the in-person enrollment is convenient to where you live (click to search for enrollment centers near you).
Visit the TSA PreCheck official website and fill out the online application.
The application asks basic information such as name, date of birth, gender, email, and general background information. It takes just minutes to complete this application.
Be sure that the name on your application is an EXACT match to the name on your government-issued ID and the name on your birth certificate.
If you are married or your name does not match exactly, you will need to provide a "linking document" such as a marriage certificate.
When TSA says "exact match" they mean EXACT. Michelle with 2 L's is not the same as Michele with one.
“The name on your application must be an exact match to the name on the identification and proof of citizenship/immigration documents you provide at enrollment. The name provided must be the name used when making your airline travel reservations. ”
Nicknames are not considered an exact match.
If the name on your birth certificate is Jacqueline and your driver's license says "Jacqui" this is NOT an exact match. I found this out from personal experience and had to have my driver's license changed to Jacqueline just so I could get PreCheck.
At the end of the application you will be prompted to make an appointment for your in-person enrollment.
You will also be reminded of the TSA documents you need to bring with you to your enrollment appointment.
There is no cost to fill out the application and schedule your enrollment appointment.
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Step 2: Bring the required documents to your appointment and pay the $85 fee.
On the day of your in-person enrollment appointment bring the required documents and a credit card to pay the $85 fee.
TSA Required Documents:
Valid Photo Id (An unexpired driver's license or unexpired government-issued federal or state ID.)
Valid Proof of citizenship (Birth certificate, U.S. Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization)
If you have legally changed your name you must provide an original or certified copy of a "linking document," such as a marriage certificate or divorce decree.
If you have any doubt about which documents to bring, check out the TSA requirements: TSA Required Identification Documentation
During the in-person enrollment you will:
Show your TSA required documents (which will be scanned and returned to you).
Answer a few basic questions (date of birth, place of birth, etc.)
Have your photo taken.
Have your fingerprints taken (it is done digitally on a device that looks similar to an iPad).
Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous about the in-person enrollment but it was super easy and lasted all of 5 minutes.
Step 3 - Receive your Known Traveler Number and add it to your airline accounts.
TSA will run a background check and, if you qualify for PreCheck, you will receive an email with a link to your Known Traveler Number (KTN). I received my KTN in just three days!
Be sure to write down your KTN or save it in a place you can easily find. I use the mSecure app to manage my passwords and added my KTN to this app.
Add your Known Traveler Number to your airline accounts.
Visit your favorite airlines online, or by using their app, and update your account information with your new KTN. Now when you book a trip, the TSA PreCheck logo will appear on your boarding pass, whether printed or when using your airline's app.
If you don't have an account with an airline, just provide the KTN when purchasing your ticket.
Pro Tip: Choose a date a few months before your KTN expires and add a reminder to renew it on your calendar
Look for the TSA PreCheck lines at the airport.
RELATED: If you’ve avoided air travel during the pandemic as most people did, you might be curious what it was like to fly during the height of the covid lockdown. This was my experience flying in April 2020 and it was surreal.
The TSA PreCheck lanes are easy to find. Just look for the signs! Here’s just one of the MANY PreCheck signs at the Orlando, Florida airport.
Step 4 - Look for the TSA PreCheck lines at the airport when you travel!
Shortly after receiving my KTN, I booked a visit to Cleveland to visit my mom. I was over-the-moon excited about skipping the general security line and breezing through the TSA PreCheck line!
A few things to know:
You still must pack liquids and gels into a quart-size clear zipper bag inside your carry-on suitcase or personal item. You just don't have to remove them from the suitcase.
While you can wear your jacket through security, if the metal detector beeps you may have to remove it. This happened to me at the Orlando Airport.
What happens if the TSA PreCheck lane is closed?
Sometimes the PreCheck line may be closed. It is generally staffed for fewer daily hours than the regular security lines. According to the TSA website, if the PreCheck line is closed, show your boarding pass to the TSA officer on duty and you may be able to keep your 3-1-1 liquids and laptops/tablets in your bag, and shoes and jacket on even in the standard screening lane.
Flying from Kansas City to Orlando in January 2023 I went through security at 4:00 am and the TSA PreCheck lane was closed. When I showed my boarding pass and driver’s license to the TSA officer at the podium, he handed me a very worn, crinkled laminated blue TSA PreCheck card to carry with me through security. (I wish I thought to snap a photo!)
I did not have to remove my jacket, shoes, iPad, or liquids bag, and I was able to walk through the metal detector where I gave the blue PreCheck card to the attendant, rather than go through the airport body scanner.
Happy flying!
—Jacqui at PlanAHealthy Life