TSA PreCheck, questions

[disneyseniors]

There was a time, when PreChek was a "new thing" they were trying to get people to do it. So they would randomly select people to get it. We've gotten it a couple of times. But not all the time. We don't fly very often, about every other year or so. One time I got it, but my husband didn't. So I just went through the regular line with him, but didn't have to remove shoes or jacket, and skipped the scanner.

We have had this every time we've flown ever since/. I'm wondering if it is an "age" thing? We were in our late 60's when this showed up?

 

[disneyseniors]

If you had frequent flyer status with an airline, that might have caused it. I have AAdvantage Gold for Life with American and TSA precheck has been on my account since the inception of the program. I never applied for Pre-check.

Pre-check is very convenient, but as others have said, there may be occasional flights where it is randomly missing.

I recently got Global Entry and Pre-check is included with GE.

I don't know, JIm, we are not on frequent flyer status. We fly mostly once a year, very rarely twice, so?

 

[JimMIA]

I don't know, JIm, we are not on frequent flyer status. We fly mostly once a year, very rarely twice, so?

I don't know...but enjoy!

 

[disneyseniors]

It is not related to your age... just a random surprise.

That's great if it is random. But don't they have to pull your name, check your background, all to surprise someone????
Don't get me wrong, it's great either way

 

[AlohaNow]

My parents, in their late 70's, will randomly get PreCheck on their boarding passes as well. They don't know why, but they like it! They too believe it is an age related thing. I've been bugging DS18 to look for the initial e-mail from Global Entry so that he can continue the process. His renewed passport just arrived, so he has the new number for his application, but he keeps ignoring my requests saying that he can't find the e-mail. He'll be living overseas starting next year so I'm certainly willing to pay $100 for 5 years of GE for him. Arghhhh....

 

[Cheburashka]

Tell me what you love about having it.

Love the quick & easy security process every time we take a flight. Love getting to keep my shoes on. Love getting to go through the metal detector instead of the heavy-duty scanner machine.

 

[jdb in AZ]

DH and I got pre-check right before the pandemic so we haven't used it. pffft. Life keeps getting in the way when we're busy making plans.

 

[georgina]

I don't know, JIm, we are not on frequent flyer status. We fly mostly once a year, very rarely twice, so?

My DD who has done some consulting work with the TSA says yes, you are more likely to get a random pre-check if you are a senior.

 

[tvguy]

TSA pre-check seems to randomly appear sometimes when traveling even if you haven't signed up and paid for this. Happened to me a few times in past. Have no idea the criteria they use for this.

I almost always get TSA pre-check, and I have never signed up.

 

[EACarlson]

There is a really good write up about this on FlyerTalk. Age is part of it, how much information on you is publicly available, whether or not you've had background checks done, and your previous travel history all factor into it. My mother is 60, gets background checked every year for her job in a school, flies regularly between MSP and MDW, she gets Pre about 60% of the time.

There are reasons why some people might not want to get GE even if they are planning on flying internationally. I'm not sure I would get approved, I was arrested once at age 12. That could be enough to bar me from GE. I've been to Colorado and used certain products that are legal there that are illegal federally, if I was honest about that it would disqualify me.

 

[AlohaNow]

There are reasons why some people might not want to get GE even if they are planning on flying internationally. I'm not sure I would get approved, I was arrested once at age 12. That could be enough to bar me from GE. I've been to Colorado and used certain products that are legal there that are illegal federally, if I was honest about that it would disqualify me.

This very well may explain why he "can't find" the e-mail!

 

[debster812]

LOVE Pre-Check. It was worth it’s weight in gold last January when DH and I were returning from a trip to Mexico, we had to connect through Houston, and after we cleared passport control and customs, we had to clear domestic security. The normal line looked like it was going to be at least an hour. There were 3 people in front of us in the Pre Check line.

When ours are up for renewal, we may upgrade to Global Entry, as the price difference is nominal.

 

[JimMIA]

LOVE Pre-Check. It was worth it’s weight in gold last January when DH and I were returning from a trip to Mexico, we had to connect through Houston, and after we cleared passport control and customs, we had to clear domestic security. The normal line looked like it was going to be at least an hour. There were 3 people in front of us in the Pre Check line.

When ours are up for renewal, we may upgrade to Global Entry, as the price difference is nominal.

Apply early. It took us almost a year to get our GE, from initial application to activated card in-hand.

 

[JimMIA]

I'm not sure I would get approved, I was arrested once at age 12.

There should not be any record of a juvenile arrest that is available to a background check.

I've been to Colorado and used certain products that are legal there that are illegal federally, if I was honest about that it would disqualify me.

They don't ask about drug use.

 

[AlohaNow]

They don't ask about drug use.

Not on the forms Jim, but they can ask this in the interview. A quick search of the topic shows that people have in fact been asked about it, and denied because of it. FlyerTalk has some interesting threads on it. I'm bored tonight, so I just applied for GE myself, as the interview availability time is waaay shorter these days. They ask what other countries you have traveled to in the past five years on the form. I'm willing to bet if you've been to certain countries, such as Columbia, that you get some 'special questioning' in your interview!

 

[JimMIA]

Not on the forms Jim, but they can ask this in the interview. A quick search of the topic shows that people have in fact been asked about it, and denied because of it. FlyerTalk has some interesting threads on it. I'm bored tonight, so I just applied for GE myself, as the interview availability time is waaay shorter these days. They ask what other countries you have traveled to in the past five years on the form. I'm willing to bet if you've been to certain countries, such as Columbia, that you get some 'special questioning' in your interview!

You have to get "Conditionally Approved" before you can sign up for an "interview."

For my family, our entire interviews were handing them our documents, posing for the picture, and scanning our fingerprints. 3 minutes each max. I don't think they asked me any questions.

 

[tcufrog]

We signed up for Global Entry after I got flagged for Pre-Check and my DH didn't. Not only did he have to take off his shoes, but they also pulled him aside to take out and swab his C-pap. It's nice not having to take that contraption out anymore.

 

[ashley0139]

I am very thankful for this thread. It just made me go to the TSA precheck site to check when mine is expiring - which is at the end of March! Can't believe it has been 5 years. I decided to upgrade to global entry this time, so I will likely have a gap in precheck. Who knows what travel I'll actually do though in the next year so it should be fine.

 

[EACarlson]

There should not be any record of a juvenile arrest that is available to a background check.They don't ask about drug use.

Everything is available to Homeland Security. There are a number of people on FlyerTalk and elsewhere that have had the same issue. The issue is that the conditional approval comes through, the interviewer asks if you've ever been arrested, you say no based on advice from counsel when that court case took place, now you've lied to a federal employee and shown you don't deserve the public trust of GE.

In 2023 when my GE/Pre credit resets on my credit card, or if I get another one that has the credit, I will apply for GE and see what happens. Another reason why some might choose Pre over GE. When I did mine in 2019, Pre appointments were 30 days out in a city 40 miles from me, GE appointments were 90 days out and I had to go 90 miles away.

 

[_19disnA]

Whatever questions they ask as part of your application you should answer honestly. I don't recall what exactly was asked. The worse that can happen is they decline your application for TSA pre-check. I assume they do some sort of checking to see if you would be considered a flying 'risk', but have no idea what their criteria is and really don't care. Clearly they aren't going to publically announce their criteria for reasons that should be obvious. If you have zero plans for international travel in the next couple of years, I don't see any reason to apply for global entry.