TSA PreCheck

[gharter]

We typically only fly maybe 2 times a year, maybe 3, and find it totally worth it.

Agree.
A few years ago, we were flying back from Orlando and waited inline 45 minutes through security. We saw the TSA precheck line was next to nothing.
As soon as we got home, I started the application the next day.
We also fly about 3-4 times a year and found it worth every penny.
Definitely plan to renew when it expires.

 

[Daisybell911]

I use PreCheck and Clear combined and usually zoom through airports.

 

[extreme8]

One other note, in addition to the folks that have commented that it's not guaranteed (which is correct). I'm pretty sure that the determination of whether you get pre on your boarding pass is run at a time period that's a day or two ahead of your flight. Adding the KTN at the last minute won't trigger pre being added. (So if you don't get it, adding it again won't get it for you either.)

I'm not sure this is true.
On my most recent trip (3 weeks ago) I printed my boarding pass about 12 hours before my flight and saw that I didn't get TSA Pre. I figured it was just the luck of the draw. Inconvenient but not the end of the world.
I had to call the airline with a question unrelated to the missing Pre approval but casually mentioned it during my conversation with the agent.
She took it on herself to look into the issue and discovered that my corporate travel agent made an error and put my frequent flyer number in the KTN field.
She corrected it and told me to try reprinting my boarding pass. The reprinted pass showed my TSA Pre.
I don't know how TSA decides when to allow or disallow Pre for travelers, and I'm not saying that re-entering your KTN will magically get you Pre if you were selected for a full screening on the first round, but in my most recent experience it didn't appear that it was determined days ahead of time.
As always, YMMV.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

The "random" assignment to pre-check generally seems to occur a day or two ahead of the flight.

However, if you have a Trusted Traveler number and it wasn't in your file adding it will cause an "instant" check and unless the TSA objects for some reason you get pre-check for that flight. I have seen people literally add it at check in at the airport and get precheck.

If you live in Atlanta. DO NOT PAY FOR CLEAR. The Clear lines are generally LONGER than the pre-check lines without Clear. (Yes I timed it. I was through pre-check before the guy who was in front of me at the CLEAR pre-check line was even close to the finger scanning machine. I could still see him in the line (The gaudy suit made him easy to spot) I won't be renewing... pay more to wait longer LOL!

 

[bumbershoot]

Any idea why the TSA Precheck number didn't show up this time? I know its still valid for another 2 years.

In my experience it means that for some reason the info didn’t get pulled from your account.

In my experience if you’d gone back through checkin and manually entered the ktn it would have changed the boarding pass. In the case of SW I’ve been unable to figure out how to do that, so in my experience I would have called and had them add it. And then in my experience it would have popped right up onto the boarding pass.

My experience consists of acting as my then-husband’s travel agent from 2009 to early 2016 as he traveled the world over half of each year, and he never once did not get pre as long as I followed those steps. The very very few times it didn’t show up (United, grr), all I had to do was redo checkin while manually entering the ktn and boom, like magic, there it was.

Adding the KTN at the last minute won't trigger pre being added.

Sure it can. My brother arranged a quick trip for us on SW the week after I found out about my impending divorce (I had no brain cells to do it), and didn’t know our ktns. I didn’t have them on our SW accounts yet. He also did checkin for us and the boarding passes didn’t show pre.

I called them about 12 hours out, she put them into our accounts, and boom, like magic, the boarding passes now showed pre.

 

[tnolan]

I use PreCheck and Clear combined and usually zoom through airports.

With the combined cost at $179 per year for Clear and $85 for 5 yrs of Pre Check, you pay a lot to be able to zoom! Glad you can afford it.

 

[Daisybell911]

With the combined cost at $179 per year for Clear and $85 for 5 yrs of Pre Check, you pay a lot to be able to zoom! Glad you can afford it.

Thanks! So am I!

 

[PatMcDuck]

We got precheck about a year ago. Me and my son who often travels with me (special needs adult). I love it. Very handy at MCO. So far if my husband flies with us, he gets it too. He flies alone sometimes but he seems not to mind the lines.

And REALLY handy at EWR (Newark NJ) Terminal A. Those lines can be nuts and are stretched out along a hallway type setup.

 

[MillauFr]

With the combined cost at $179 per year for Clear and $85 for 5 yrs of Pre Check, you pay a lot to be able to zoom! Glad you can afford it.

Certain credit cards reimburse you for precheck fees.

 

[huskies90]

I fly 5 or 6 times a year and do not have PreCheck mainly because I have been too lazy to apply. But frankly, with all my flights, I have never found myself in a situation where I wish I had it. I almost always fly out of Bradley where security lines are typically less 20 minutes and sometimes non existent and in fact I have often witnessed the PreCheck line to be either longer or not open. At other airports, even MCO, I find the lines always move quickly even if they are long. And I don't really care about taking my shoes off or going through the scanner. I guess I'll get around to applying for it at some point but I don't find not having it to be that big a hassle.

 

[AngiTN]

Agree.
A few years ago, we were flying back from Orlando and waited inline 45 minutes through security. We saw the TSA precheck line was next to nothing.
As soon as we got home, I started the application the next day.
We also fly about 3-4 times a year and found it worth every penny.
Definitely plan to renew when it expires.

I've said many many times that they can fund the entire program just on the memberships they sell to people who buy it after flying out of MCO

 

[AngiTN]

With the combined cost at $179 per year for Clear and $85 for 5 yrs of Pre Check, you pay a lot to be able to zoom! Glad you can afford it.

We got chear too. Didn't pay that much. Got clear free for three months. When I went to cancel they have me a deal to keep it for both me and DH

 

[mcjw2011]

After getting my TT number in April, TSA PreCheck worked beautifully this past week when I flew Southwest. My home airport (RDU) TSA doesn't usually get too busy unless it's holiday season (meaning I can get through the regular line within 10 minutes), but this time I breezed through in less than five minutes. Ditto for when I came through the Orlando airport to fly back home, it was amazing.

Having PreCheck makes me want to travel more because it's significantly less stressful.

 

[n2mm]

Well guess that was a fast 5 years. I got my renewal email this week for my precheck. The renewal comes 6 months before you expire. In most cases you can do it online and not have to go in person. I love precheck. Flying out of MCO and most Washington DC airports can be challenging. It’s been totally worth it. $17 a year is a deal.

 

[gharter]

Certain credit cards reimburse you for precheck fees.

Which ones do that? Would hate to have missed a perk from one of our cards.

 

[gharter]

After getting my TT number in April, TSA PreCheck worked beautifully this past week when I flew Southwest. My home airport (RDU) TSA doesn't usually get too busy unless it's holiday season (meaning I can get through the regular line within 10 minutes), but this time I breezed through in less than five minutes. Ditto for when I came through the Orlando airport to fly back home, it was amazing.

Having PreCheck makes me want to travel more because it's significantly less stressful.

Agree, its really nice when it works as it should. Love passing by the long security lines.

 

[Toolulu22]

After getting my TT number in April, TSA PreCheck worked beautifully this past week when I flew Southwest. My home airport (RDU) TSA doesn't usually get too busy unless it's holiday season (meaning I can get through the regular line within 10 minutes), but this time I breezed through in less than five minutes. Ditto for when I came through the Orlando airport to fly back home, it was amazing.

Having PreCheck makes me want to travel more because it's significantly less stressful.

I had it and DH didn’t. For awhile, he was lucky I guess and got precheck when he flew with me. That stopped on a flight earlier this year in and out of Orlando and I timed it. I was through security and waited about 17 minutes, and I watched as he took off his shoes then put them back on etc. He never wanted it because he is private- no Facebook, one email for business, no online banking, and he didn’t want to give his personal info. After that flight- he decided to go for it and we’ve happily been passing through the short line together ever since.

 

[MillauFr]

Which ones do that? Would hate to have missed a perk from one of our cards.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

 

[Toolulu22]

Which ones do that? Would hate to have missed a perk from one of our cards.

Certain Amex cards do as well.

 

[pd1138]

we flew out of MCO in August, decent security wait of 25-30 minutes, mid day. A guy was behind our family and he came from the clear line, for some reason at that time they were shuffling everyone in the clear line right into the regular TSA line. DH talked to him and he wasn't sure why they were all standing in the regular line. Does anyone know why? Maybe a high security threat we didn't know about. That alone wasn't selling the idea of getting any of these checks if it meant we would be standing in the regular TSA line anyway at any time.