Is TSA pre-check worth it?

[notatallmagic]

We had gotten Disney Annual passes two years ago, and with the crazy lines at MCO, decided to do TSA pre-check along with it - so happy we did!

The ability to keep shoes on is worth it! Add to that that we carry snacks for food allergies and a T1 diabetic, and have had no issues there, other than scanning some bottled beverages. So for us, well worth it!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Wow, from all the airports I've flown out of, I have never seen the pre-check line longer than the normal security line. Must have been an unusual day.

I've seen it once or twice when there's a mechanical failure with one or more of the full-body scanners in the normal lines. They start rerouting people en masse.

 

[Flutter-butter]

I have Global Entry which includes Pre-Check. Sadly, I have not used the customs part of it yet (darn you Covid!) but I did enjoy Pre-Check for many flights before Covid.

 

[gharter]

I've seen it once or twice when there's a mechanical failure with one or more of the full-body scanners in the normal lines. They start rerouting people en masse.

Glad I've missed those days.

 

[supersnoop]

I've flown out of many airports around the country (JFK, LAX, SFO, PHX, MCO, MIA, IAH, AUS, etc.) and have never encountered that issue, so it definitely isn't common.

I've seen it happen on occasion in AUS; I don't remember any others. But even then, it's a line of 10 people in pre-check versus 4 in the regular line. I'll wait the extra 2 minutes to keep my liquids in my bag and my shoes on.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Yes, worth every penny. Easier and quicker

 

[holden]

Yep. It's worth it to us. We just got DD14 signed up, so now we all have it. Under 14 kids can go through precheck with their parents. At 14 they need their own KTN.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Yep. It's worth it to us. We just got DD14 signed up, so now we all have it. Under 14 kids can go through precheck with their parents. At 14 they need their own KTN.

12 and under is the cutoff.

 

[wxinms1]

So worth it for us! I just have it because I am the one who travels a lot for work so I am the one who has PreCheck - but it helps my wife out too when we travel together because I can take all of her camera equipment through without having to unpack it! I will be renewing mine later this year.

 

[MillauFr]

Orlando Airport should explore adding a virtual queue system for TSA lines... Sounds pretty much like Disney's Fastpass program.

Sea-Tac airport testing pilot virtual queuing program | The Seattle Times

 

[CaptainAmerica]

So worth it for us! I just have it because I am the one who travels a lot for work so I am the one who has PreCheck - but it helps my wife out too when we travel together because I can take all of her camera equipment through without having to unpack it! I will be renewing mine later this year.

How often (or not) do you luck out where she'll get Precheck on her boarding pass even though she's not enrolled in the program?

 

[joelkfla]

cancel - duplicate

 

[joelkfla]

My family all has pre-check, stupid question, how do you know when it expires? I cannot remember when we got it.

Go here, and click on Lookup KTN.

The website also says they will send a reminder email 6 months before expiration. Mine expires in December, so I should be getting an email next month.

 

[EACarlson]

I've seen it happen on occasion in AUS; I don't remember any others. But even then, it's a line of 10 people in pre-check versus 4 in the regular line. I'll wait the extra 2 minutes to keep my liquids in my bag and my shoes on.

A line of 10 people in Pre is probably a toss up vs the 4 people in the non-Pre line. In general Pre lines move much faster since you don't have to stand in the scanner, and everyone knows or should know what they are doing and don't need to be told things multiple times.

 

[DVC-Don]

To be fair, the PreCheck line in Albany, NY is only part time. Most of the time they just give you a card that let's you keep your shoes on. Computers and all that have to come out. That said this time I had to remove my shoes after the scanner for them to run them through the machine. I have to use the scanner due to a artificial hip.

 

[LYSE]

Get a credit card that gives you global entry for free, this includes pre check.

Then go ahead and sign up for clear, completely worth never having to deal with a long line.

 

[Dis703]

Absolutely. I've had it for maybe 2 years and it makes things so much faster and easier when going through the airports.

 

[wxinms1]

How often (or not) do you luck out where she'll get Precheck on her boarding pass even though she's not enrolled in the program?

It used to happen more often, but over the last couple of years has been very rare.

 

[BLLB]

As i recall, they will send you emails that it is about to expire. We got Global Entry about 6 months before Pre-Check would’ve expired, so I didn’t really pay attention to the emails.

Go here, and click on Lookup KTN.

The website also says they will send a reminder email 6 months before expiration. Mine expires in December, so I should be getting an email next month.

Thank you both, appreciate it!

 

[cjlong88]

How often (or not) do you luck out where she'll get Precheck on her boarding pass even though she's not enrolled in the program?

I'm often in charge of purchasing everyone's plane tickets when traveling in a larger group, and most of them don't have TSA pre-check or Global Entry. Every single time I've done this in the last 4 years or so everyone in my party ends up getting pre-check. I don't know if it's pure luck or what. Some people may have different experiences, however.