TSA Pre-Check Question - RE: Appointment times

[h&D3]

I just tried to sign up our family for TSA Pre-Check online. Due to our crazy work/family schedules, I found a location that has Saturday hours that would work for all of us as during the week it would be almost impossible to get there before their offices close.

I filled out all of the questions for my application, but it would not let me choose a date/time. It just went ahead and assigned me a date and time (it assigned a date/time during the week that won't work for any of us) and didn't give me the option to select another date or time.

Is it because I'm filling this out online when they are not open that it's automatically assigning me a date/time or I can NOT choose a time-slot for an appointment?

If I try M-F during business hours will I then be able to select a date and time on my own?

Also, our daughter is only 17, but we want to get her pre-check as well for our trip this summer. I understand that she technically wouldn't need it since she's only 17 and flying with us, but since it's good for 5 years, she will be over 17 during any future trips within the next few years.

Since she's only 17 and technically doesn't need it, can we still sign her up for this now?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Best Aunt]

I know I could choose a date and time when I did it online, but it was within a certain range. I was trying to book further out, but it wouldn't let me.

Can't help with your specific questions but wanted to mention that recently, the AAA store near us had a special pre-check sign up event. You did not even have to be a member of AAA to participate.

Also, some Staples stores have pre-check sign ups.

 

[Callsdodisney]

I don’t know about appointment times, but I do know it’s age 13 where kids do not necessarily get pre check if their parents have it. I think it’s very, very rare that they wouldn’t, but I got it independently for both my kids when they were 12 and 11. We travel often- carry on only- and not having all of us in the precheck line would really throw our travel groove in a loop.

 

[Keladry84]

When I signed up, I was able to choose an appointment time. That's odd that it assigned you one without letting you change or adjust it...:/

 

[h&D3]

I think I'm going to try to call tomorrow and see if I can schedule an apt for a Saturday if I can't select a date on my own on the website.

Bummer part of it is, we'll have to fill the applications at the TSA Precheck place if I can't make the apt online. Oh well.

Unfortunately in MN, the Staples locations we have don't have the TSA Precheck at their locations. We have to go to an Identogo location instead.

Oh well... just need to do it this one time and then for any future ones I'll just renew online, which I hope will make it easier.

 

[_19disnA]

Maybe the assignment of appointments varies by location? When we first signed up for TSA Precheck a few years ago, we were able to schedule an appointment at the airport when returning from a vacation which was very convenient. Maybe look around on their website to see if there are any other convenient locations where you can register. Perhaps some locations are busier then others or have different scheduling arrangements.

As I recall, that airport location also allowed for 'walk-ins' who had no appointment, but they were placed at the back of the line behind those who did have an appointment. Not sure if your location(s) might offer that option or how busy they might be.

 

[h&D3]

The TSA Precheck at our airport is only open during the week, so with our work schedules, and DD's school schedule, the only time we could do this was the one weekend/month appt slot that they have. (and out of all the locations around us, only ONE has Saturday appointments.)

I decided to call the TSA Precheck phone # today and the agent I talked with was wonderful. She took all of our information and processed it over the phone. So my DH and I have appointments on the next Saturday that they are open.
Unfortunately, she could only process 2 applications over the phone and she said that I'd have to call back to do our DDs application.

I told her the issue that I was having about it not letting me select a different date from what it assigned to me, and it was just assigning me a date/time. She said that happens all the time. All I needed to do was to press the NEXT button and it would then allow me to select a date and time. D'Oh! I felt like an idiot!

I went in and filled out DDs info online and got the same appointment time as DH and me. So I'm happy about that! (but I still feel like an idiot that it was so simple to do)

 

[EACarlson]

Also, our daughter is only 17, but we want to get her pre-check as well for our trip this summer. I understand that she technically wouldn't need it since she's only 17 and flying with us, but since it's good for 5 years, she will be over 17 during any future trips within the next few years.

Since she's only 17 and technically doesn't need it, can we still sign her up for this now?

This is incorrect. She needs her own Precheck KTN at 13. While it is likely that she will be assigned a Precheck slot as long as she is under 18 and travelling with an adult that had Precheck, it is not guaranteed. There are a certain number of Precheck slots at each airport each day. Once those that have KTNs are taken care of, any extra slots are assigned due to an algorithm. Age, travelling party, travelling history, public records all play a part in who gets those spots. My 63 year old mother almost always gets it as she's had the same Delta Frequent Flyer account for 45 years, has gone through annual background checks for her work with schools for 38 years and owned the same house for 39 years. She is very low on the threat matrix.

 

[h&D3]

This is incorrect. She needs her own Precheck KTN at 13. While it is likely that she will be assigned a Precheck slot as long as she is under 18 and travelling with an adult that had Precheck, it is not guaranteed. There are a certain number of Precheck slots at each airport each day. Once those that have KTNs are taken care of, any extra slots are assigned due to an algorithm. Age, travelling party, travelling history, public records all play a part in who gets those spots. My 63 year old mother almost always gets it as she's had the same Delta Frequent Flyer account for 45 years, has gone through annual background checks for her work with schools for 38 years and owned the same house for 39 years. She is very low on the threat matrix.

Thank you for this info. I'm glad I posted the question. That's what makes this group so AWESOME!

 

[h&D3]

On 2/10, me, my DH and DD went to obtain our TSA Precheck.
A few days later (maybe 3 at the most) my DD and I received our KTN.
We are still waiting on my DH to get his.
I know that they said that it can take up to 60 days, but I'm just curious as to WHY his might be taking longer than ours did. We had the appt at the same time, I paid for them all with the same credit card.
Any thoughts vs that they are just that backed up and are running behind.
(And no, DH has no record or anything that would pop out as weird.... he's just a big, loveable, Goofy guy)

 

[EACarlson]

On 2/10, me, my DH and DD went to obtain our TSA Precheck.
A few days later (maybe 3 at the most) my DD and I received our KTN.
We are still waiting on my DH to get his.
I know that they said that it can take up to 60 days, but I'm just curious as to WHY his might be taking longer than ours did. We had the appt at the same time, I paid for them all with the same credit card.
Any thoughts vs that they are just that backed up and are running behind.
(And no, DH has no record or anything that would pop out as weird.... he's just a big, loveable, Goofy guy)

There is no rhyme or reason. He may have been selected for a deeper dive into available information. If he's ever held a security clearance that can cause issues. If he's never been background checked that can cause a delay as it's not as simple of a process. I applied for Global Entry in March of 2023, still waiting for conditional approval to schedule an interview. I've had Pre since 2019, get background checked at least three times a year for jobs and certifications working with kids, for 15 years I underwent yearly checks for a firearm carry permit.

 

[h&D3]

Hmmm... no, he's never held any security clearance. Funny thing is, we both have an EDL license so this all would have been checked with that drivers license application, years ago. I would have thought it would have went quicker since we had that, but I guess not. Oh well, I guess we just wait and see what happens. Hopefully it will be sooner than later

 

[elvispursley]

Glad you all could go at the same time appt! When we did Nexus years ago, they assigned DH, DS1, and myself the same appt time (we had to drive 2+ hrs from Seattle to the Canadian border), but DS2 had Ana ppt assigned 2 weeks later! Talk about annoyed… nothing could be done about it either. And having moved and reapplied for global entry, DS1 and myself each got our new cards but DH and DS2 didn’t…so now we have to file them as lost and pay $25 each to have them redone!

 

[_19disnA]

Obviously they will never explain how/what they research before assigning you a KTN. I could imagine however, if you have a name that is the same/similar to someone who is flagged, they likely have to do some additional manual research before getting it approved. Someone who doesn't have any exceptions when they do their searching will likely be approved sooner.

 

[RedHead0186]

I applied for Global Entry in March of 2023, still waiting for conditional approval to schedule an interview.

You've been waiting almost a YEAR to get conditional approval for Global Entry?! Yikes!

 

[EACarlson]

You've been waiting almost a YEAR to get conditional approval for Global Entry?! Yikes!

Yes, next week Wednesday will be one year. I'll have to reup my Precheck in the next couple weeks.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

There is no rhyme or reason. He may have been selected for a deeper dive into available information. If he's ever held a security clearance that can cause issues. If he's never been background checked that can cause a delay as it's not as simple of a process. I applied for Global Entry in March of 2023, still waiting for conditional approval to schedule an interview. I've had Pre since 2019, get background checked at least three times a year for jobs and certifications working with kids, for 15 years I underwent yearly checks for a firearm carry permit.

Wow. That is a long time. I got mine within 2 months but that was during covid, so that helped.

It is amazing though when traveling back into the states. You literally walk through a crowd of people wait at least 2 hours.