TSA Pre Check...One More Question (hopefully...)

[kristenrice]

I was planning to do the NEXUS cards for myself and my girls, but after I inquired about the process, I was not completely clear on what I have to do...and it left me even more confused. I sent an e-mail and asked if I needed to create an account at login.gov for each of my children and how I should go about applying on their behalf. The Canadian official who responded to me confused me even more. First, they simply re-stated that I needed to apply online...duh! I already knew that! But I am filling out an official government form on behalf of another person and I don't want to get in trouble for "falsifying" anything because the form is not clear that it is for someone else. For example, what e-mail address should I use for my children? THEY don't check their e-mails....I want to use mine as the contact, but then there would be THREE people listed with my e-mail address. The other thing that confused me was this statement: "Only Canadian Citizens approved for NEXUS will receive TSA Precheck." HUH?? The only reason I was interested in NEXUS was for the TSA Pre benefit. I am not a Canadian citizen so does that mean that I would not receive TSA Pre??

Anyways...I decided that even though it's more expensive, it would be much easier to simply pay the money and just get the TSA-Pre-Check for each of us. There is an enrollment center less than 5 miles from our house and they have appointments available as early as tomorrow morning. Based on that, it doesn't look like I need to hurry in regards to actually getting an appointment since they seem to be readily available. My question is, once we receive our KTN, which I know can take up to a month, is there any sort of "deadline" to add them to our plane tickets? We are flying on Delta and SWA and when I log in to my accounts, I can see the place on the tickets to add the KTN. Our trip isn't until October so I'm sure I have plenty of time, but I want to be prepared.

Thanks for any help you can provide

 

[PatMcDuck]

I have no idea how to answer most of your questions. Sorry! But I recently got TSA pre check for me and my adult son (special needs). I was just going to add you get the number fast, in an email, then later you get the letter in the regular snail mail. I think the email came in about a week.

So far, I love it. Big time saver at Newark NJ Terminal A (an older terminal with crazy maze like security lines) and at MCO (which varies from horrible to not so bad).

 

[kristenrice]

I have no idea how to answer most of your questions. Sorry! But I recently got TSA pre check for me and my adult son (special needs). I was just going to add you get the number fast, in an email, then later you get the letter in the regular snail mail. I think the email came in about a week.

So far, I love it. Big time saver at Newark NJ Terminal A (an older terminal with crazy maze like security lines) and at MCO (which varies from horrible to not so bad).

Thanks! We don't fly often (maybe once a year, at most) and our local airport (GRR) isn't too bad as far as security goes. My main reason for buying it is because I am flying this October and next October with my daughters and we are going to Orlando. Last October, my experience with security was ridiculous. It probably would not have fazed an "average" person or someone who flies more often, but when I was in that line for 45 minutes, I was terrified that I was going to miss my flight...even though we were at the airport an hour and 45 minutes before departure. We used DME so we were plenty early, but the anxiety of waiting in that line and watching the chaos and complete disorganization that went on around me was unnerving. It was the first time in quite a while that I did not get the "random" TSA-pre designation on my boarding pass so I knew what I was missing....and, boy, did I miss it! Fortunately, I was not with my kids. I was travelling with my friend instead so we managed, but right then and there I decided that TSA-pre-check needed to be worked into my budget somehow.

 

[sponica]

I think it's recommended they are added 24 to 48 hours in advance of the flight. Also make sure you enter the number exactly. My husband transposed the digits when entering it in, so his original boarding pass didn't have pre-check after he got his KTN. The airline had to add the KTN when he realized his mistake and called.

 

[disneydacey]

we got our KTN from the homeland security officer that conducted the interview. I would add it as soon as you know it.

 

[Jimsig]

I think it's recommended they are added 24 to 48 hours in advance of the flight. Also make sure you enter the number exactly. My husband transposed the digits when entering it in, so his original boarding pass didn't have pre-check after he got his KTN. The airline had to add the KTN when he realized his mistake and called.

Def recommend 24-48 hours ahead. Though when making a reservation for my brother, my SIL entered the wrong KTN number for him. I told them to print their boarding passes 24 hours ahead. Of course on our way to the airport they told me that they would print them out when they got there. Of course when printed out it did not show pre-check and he also has 2 of his kids on the same reservation. Well they finally realized what had happened. We tried to get his KTN number using the browser on a cell phone and we could not even get to the website, it was like we were blocked from accessing it via a mobile device it at the airport. They went to the JB counter and they let them use one of their computers to look it up. JB then added it to his reservation and printed new boarding passes and all 3 had pre-check on them.

@kristenrice if you don't get an answer here head to the forums at flyertalk.com If anywhere I am sure someone there can help or you can find the answer. It's no uncommon for people to get NEXUS for their kids so I am sure the answer is out there somewhere. You might also want to create a free email address for each of you kids that you can access

 

[kristenrice]

@kristenrice if you don't get an answer here head to the forums at flyertalk.com If anywhere I am sure someone there can help or you can find the answer. It's no uncommon for people to get NEXUS for their kids so I am sure the answer is out there somewhere. You might also want to create a free email address for each of you kids that you can access

Well, I *can* access my kids' e-mail, but they use it mostly for their school assignments so I would rather not use it for "outside" stuff. I guess I could create new e-mail addresses for them, but I would still prefer government stuff get sent to me, not them.

It's actually much easier for us just to get TSA Pre-check since we live in West Michigan. Our closest interview center for NEXUS is in Detroit which is a 2-hour drive. I found out that my husband was planning a drive up to visit his brother who lives in Sault Ste Marie and there is also an interview center there. We decided that the girls and I would go along and make a mini-vacation out of it and try to include our interviews too. When I received the e-mail reply, it also said that it is taking 3-5 MONTHS to process the NEXUS applications! Well, that's not going to work...our trip to Orlando is in 3 months and we would have to do our interviews before school starts back up since it would have to be done on a weekday. That pretty much made the decision for me right there.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have a gmail account. So I can put a dot in anywhere inside my email address and a website will read it as a different email, but it gets sent to me.

Pretend my email is bumbershoot at gmail. That’s mine. So for my son I would have used bumb.ershoot. If I had another kid, bumber.shoot.

And that’s what I did for me and my son, except that’s not my email.

Parents fill out forms for minors. Minors can’t fill them out legally.

Nexus gives you nexus, global entry, and precheck. As an American. It’s a cheaper and more robust trusted traveler program. And harder to get. But.


*******
From cbp before the Canadian citizen mention. “All Global Entry members are eligible for TSA PreCheck. U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents enrolled in NEXUS and SENTRI are also eligible for TSA PreCheck. ”


And hey, they give the gmail trick!!

https://login.gov/help/trusted-traveler-programs/family-account/

 

[bumbershoot]

My question is, once we receive our KTN, which I know can take up to a month, is there any sort of "deadline" to add them to our plane tickets?

Nope.


My brother booked SW rewards flights for us in March, and I didn’t yet have our KTN in the accounts. He’s sweet and even did online checkin for us. I couldn’t figure out how to retroactively enter in the numbers so I called and they did it. I refreshed my checkin and boom I had precheck. Easy.

 

[kristenrice]

I have a gmail account. So I can put a dot in anywhere inside my email address and a website will read it as a different email, but it gets sent to me.

Pretend my email is bumbershoot at gmail. That’s mine. So for my son I would have used bumb.ershoot. If I had another kid, bumber.shoot.

And that’s what I did for me and my son, except that’s not my email.

Parents fill out forms for minors. Minors can’t fill them out legally.

Nexus gives you nexus, global entry, and precheck. As an American. It’s a cheaper and more robust trusted traveler program. And harder to get. But.

See...that's what I thought. In fact, you were the one who pointed me in that direction (thank you, by the way!). I was really thrown for a loop when I got that e-mail that said only Canadian citizens would receive TSA-Pre check. I don't understand that....it makes no sense.

But...unfortunately, NEXUS is a moot point for us at this time because if it really takes 3 months or more to process the applications before we can schedule an interview, we will not be able to get our cards in time for our trip.

 

[KPeterso]

No answers to your NEXUS questions.

I just got TSA Pre Check this spring. Like you, bad experience at MCO in March pushed me over the edge to get it. I filled out the application for myself and my elderly mother (she would kill me if she heard me say that), and I tied both applications to my email address. She shares an email address with my Dad and did not want emails to go there as he gets rather zealous about deleting emails.

To get it added to my reservations (with Delta), I ended up having to call as I only had our middle initials on the reservation and needed to have our middle names added. Delta made that change with no charge and updated all my KTN info as part of the update.

 

[Jimsig]

Well, I *can* access my kids' e-mail, but they use it mostly for their school assignments so I would rather not use it for "outside" stuff. I guess I could create new e-mail addresses for them, but I would still prefer government stuff get sent to me, not them.

Who says the kids have to know about the new email addresses.

My 8yo has an email that I created for her, but she does not know about it. When she is old enough I will give it to her so she can use it. Right now we use it if there is anything online that needs an email etc. That way our inboxes don't get clogged up.

 

[AngiTN]

I haven't read through everything but I can tell you that if you have existing flights booked you have to call to have the KTN added to the reservation. Adding it to the account won't connect it to any existing reservations. You must call the airlines and do it manually, so to speak.

 

[kristenrice]

I haven't read through everything but I can tell you that if you have existing flights booked you have to call to have the KTN added to the reservation. Adding it to the account won't connect it to any existing reservations. You must call the airlines and do it manually, so to speak.

Good to know...thank you!

 

[mel&me]

I haven't read through everything but I can tell you that if you have existing flights booked you have to call to have the KTN added to the reservation. Adding it to the account won't connect itto any existing reservations. You must call the airlines and do it manually, so to speak.

Thanks just the info I was looking for.

 

[mrslur]

I haven't read through everything but I can tell you that if you have existing flights booked you have to call to have the KTN added to the reservation. Adding it to the account won't connect it to any existing reservations. You must call the airlines and do it manually, so to speak.

This has not been my experience at all. We applied for and got Global Entry earlier this year. We already had several domestic flights booked and were able to go into our reservations and add the KTN ourselves. This worked with American and Southwest flights. Once the number is added to your profile with the airline it will (should) automatically show up with any future bookings.

 

[AngiTN]

This has not been my experience at all. We applied for and got Global Entry earlier this year. We already had several domestic flights booked and were able to go into our reservations and add the KTN ourselves. This worked with American and Southwest flights. Once the number is added to your profile with the airline it will (should) automatically show up with any future bookings.

My experience was just the opposite. When we got our KTN we had to call to add it to any existing flights. The airlines told us this exact thing. That it would not update to our already booked flights.

For future bookings yes, it will always show up for future bookings. It was for already booked flights that we had to call about. Maybe Global Entry does more for you than just regular PreCheck?

 

[Jimsig]

I haven't read through everything but I can tell you that if you have existing flights booked you have to call to have the KTN added to the reservation. Adding it to the account won't connect it to any existing reservations. You must call the airlines and do it manually, so to speak.

This has not been my experience at all. We applied for and got Global Entry earlier this year. We already had several domestic flights booked and were able to go into our reservations and add the KTN ourselves. This worked with American and Southwest flights. Once the number is added to your profile with the airline it will (should) automatically show up with any future bookings.

It may depend on the airline but it looks as of you can either call or go online to do it now. I know when I got it I had to call the airline to add it but that was a couple years ago. JetBlue says you can add it via the 'Manage Flights" tab on their site for example.

For Pre-Check the TSA says on it's website:

How do I add my KTN to previous reservations?
Contact your airline by phone or online to add your KTN to any existing reservations or reservations made before you received your KTN. The airline also can confirm that your first/middle/last name are in the correct Secure Flight fields. The KTN will be submitted along with Secure Flight passenger data to TSA. Remember to enter your full name, date of birth and KTN exactly as you provided during enrollment.


Also adding it to an "existing reservation" and adding it to your "account" are really two different things. Once added to to your airline account it should add to all future bookings but it may not pick up on existing reservations, again probably depends on the airline. I don't see why they need you to go through the extra step of adding it to an existing as once you enter it in your account it should be able to be transferred to any existing reservations via the airlines computer system. Though it maybe have taken sometime for the airlines to update their systems to allow that.

It looks as if United at least has it so you can add it to your account as long as it is far enough out now and it will pick up on existing reservations:

Your KTN/PASS ID/DoD ID number must be linked to your MileagePlus number no later than seven days before your next flight.

• If adding a KTN to your MileagePlus profile within seven days of your next flight, then also add the KTN directly to the reservation so TSA knows you are eligible.

mrslur if you added it to you "reservations" and not your "account" you may have done just what AngiTN was talking about.

 

[gharter]

We travel 2-3 times a year. Paying for TSA pre-check was worth every penny.
I love walking into a busy airport, seeing a long line at the security area and walking over to a non crowded TSA pre-check area and being done in under 5 minutes.
2 years ago we waited in the long line. Right then, I realized it was worth the money and have never regretted it.

 

[closetmickey]

I haven't read through everything but I can tell you that if you have existing flights booked you have to call to have the KTN added to the reservation. Adding it to the account won't connect it to any existing reservations. You must call the airlines and do it manually, so to speak.

We are flying American and I was able to go online and add our new KTNs online myself.

Also, with regard to email addresses, the agent who processed our applications last month allowed me to use my email address for all of my children. Not sure if this is policy, however.