Is Precheck worth it?

[patm95]

I think it's a personal choice, but to me it's worth it.

 

[sethschroeder]

I would never not have precheck. It pretty much essential for travel in my opinion. I used to travel pre pandemic roughly 20-25 weeks a year and it takes out much of the randomness of airport security to allow you to get through fairly quickly and to your gate.

The only time it doesn't make sense is if you are only ever going to fly 1 time in the next 5 years. Then you suck it up arrive up to 3 hours early and sit in the airport.

 

[Cheburashka]

We travel a few times per year, have Pre-Check and will always travel with it. I don't like hassle or delays, especially during my vacations. Keeping your shoes on, your liquids in your bag, and not being body-scanned is also a more dignified way to travel.

$85 per person for 5 years is $17 per person per year. If you fly round trip twice a year, that is about $4 per person for each flight. And it's only $70 to renew.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I love it. Being able to go through a normal metal detector instead of the whole body thing (which suddenly started always resulting in pony tail pat downs for me starting a few years back, nothing like starting my trip having my hair pulled and head “patted” because I have thick hair and forgot to take out my ponytail ) & not having to remove my shoes are why I love it. And fellow travelers who generally know what they’re doing so I find the people around me- both travelers and tsa agents- less stressed.

A LOT of premium credit cards include a TSA Pre/Global Entry credit. But if that’s not your thing I still think it’s worth the cash price as it’s good for 5 years of traveling.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Worth is 1000times over the cost, even with 1 flight a year.
I'll never fly without it.
We've had it long enough to renew.
We did switch to GE this past April when returning from Mexico. No clue if we'll ever use it again or not but it was free, paid by a credit card. I hope to plan another International trip or two since we had to get the passport
But we'll have one or the other
Not having to take out liquids, electronics and off shoes is worth it
Though I do have to go in the body scanner now, thanks to knee replacements
Even in our airport without a PreCheck line it helps with the above.

 

[gharter]

For us, TSA pre-check is worth every penny. At small airports, it doesn't really matter. At large airports, it is awesome. We have breezed by long lines at security and been through in under 5-10 minutes at most airports.

 

[gottalovepluto]

For us, TSA pre-check is worth every penny. At small airports, it doesn't really matter. At large airports, it is awesome. We have breezed by long lines at security and been through in under 5-10 minutes at most airports.

Even then you gotta be careful. I’ve flown out of a smallish airport, Fresno, for years and the tsa line used to be NBD- but the last few times I’ve flown this year the security line has been 100-200 people deep. I feel like a genius as I waltz right up to the front for pre-check

 

[sam_gordon]

First time I used pre-check, DS was flying with me. He didn't have pre-check. He got through the regular line before I got through the pre line. This was at SDF (Louisville). On the return, I got through pre before he got through the regular line.

It doesn't always help.

 

[holden]

I think it's 110% worth it, especially at MCO.

 

[DVCjj]

Worth it?
Yes, Yes and Yes.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

First time I used pre-check, DS was flying with me. He didn't have pre-check. He got through the regular line before I got through the pre line. This was at SDF (Louisville). On the return, I got through pre before he got through the regular line.

It doesn't always help.

It still helps to leave shoes on ands electronics and toiletries in your bag

 

[StAugustine]

In a word, YES. With precheck our party of 6 went through security in under 5 minutes on 6/28 at 10:30 AM.

 

[quoo]

Obviously it depends on your budget. We have global entry which we use as my family lives abroad, so being able to save time in the horribly long immigration lines when traveling with kids was our primary goal in getting it, but the shorter pre-check queues are also great, as well as not having to remove as much from your bags.
We also got clear last year and that has been absolutely fantastic, as a lot of the time when pre-check is taking longer than normal it's because of the ID checks.

 

[sam_gordon]

It still helps to leave shoes on ands electronics and toiletries in your bag

Yes, that's a benefit. IMO, that's not enough to justify the cost for the one trip I might make a year.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Yes, that's a benefit. IMO, that's not enough to justify the cost for the one trip I might make a year.

For one flight a year and just adults, then no, it's probably not worth it. Multiple trips per year or trips with kids under 12, definitely worth it.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Obviously it depends on your budget. We have global entry which we use as my family lives abroad, so being able to save time in the horribly long immigration lines when traveling with kids was our primary goal in getting it, but the shorter pre-check queues are also great, as well as not having to remove as much from your bags.
We also got clear last year and that has been absolutely fantastic, as a lot of the time when pre-check is taking longer than normal it's because of the ID checks.

I added on clear this year too. Not having to get my ID out has been great while traveling with my hands on a cast. Not something planned whenI got it but I end up with several trips close together and it really helped

 

[elgerber]

I've had Pre for 4 years and will never be without it again. I got a credit card that covers it but I would pay to keep it. I flew MSP-MCO on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2019, I saved 90 minutes that morning alone. It usually saves me 20 minutes or so every time I fly.

Clear is helpful. I have philosophical issues with it, I don't think that you should be paying a private company to skip to the front of a government line. But from what I've been told it's almost a necessity at MSP and ATL now. So many Delta frequent fliers have it that the Pre line can take almost as long if you don't have Clear as the regular security line. Outside of those two airports I've never been in a position where Clear would have saved me more than 5 minutes.

Not at all disputing, but my dd flew out of MSP a few days ago and sailed through pre check, so hopefully Clear isn't bogging it down too badly. I fly out in 12 days, I will let you know how my pre check goes.