TSA Precheck question

[DekrRini]

If you purchase the TSA Precheck, are you guaranteed TSA Precheck or are only a certain amount of the prechecks available for each flight? I'd hate to spend the money and still have to go through the regular line at times.

 

[DebbieB]

If you purchase the TSA Precheck, are you guaranteed TSA Precheck or are only a certain amount of the prechecks available for each flight? I'd hate to spend the money and still have to go through the regular line at times.

It's not connected to your flight as far as eligibility. As long as you have your number on your reservation it should print out.

 

[DekrRini]

Thanks. I appreciate your help.

 

[sam_gordon]

There might be circumstances that preclude them from using the Pre-check line (maybe that scanner doesn't work or not enough TSA employees showed up to fully staff, etc). Granted, that's probably rare, but I'm guessing it could happen.

I was leave Las Vegas last week, and everyone was basically doing precheck... no one had to take off shoes, standard metal detector, etc. Laptops still had to come out of bags, but that was it.

 

[goofy4tink]

I bought precheck. I expect to be able to use it each time I fly. BUT....something could happen that prevents that from happening, occasionally.

 

[OKW Lover]

Having precheck (or Global Entry) does not guarantee you will get precheck every time you fly. There is still some (but small) chance that you will be selected for regular screening.

 

[winterman]

My son has purchased TSA Precheck. When he checked in for a recent flight, the precheck was not on his boarding pass. He called the airline and they were able to put it on.

 

[DVC-Don]

Flew out of Albany, New York yesterday in the morning. PreCheck was not open at all.

 

[DekrRini]

Thanks everyone. Your answers have helped a lot.

 

[bookgirl]

Only good on commercial flights.

I recently took a private charter and they could not assign me precheck.

 

[Starwind]

Only specific airlines participate in PreCheck. The list is on the TSA website. Also, as a PP said, having PreCheck it is NOT a guarantee you will actually get to use the PreCheck line every time.

 

[n2mm]

Yes, some smaller airports don't participate. Also not all airlines. Jetblue, SW and United are a YES for me. Frontier is a NO. I have flown 8 times since getting my number and have gotten it everytime. That is out of BWI, IAD, DCA and MCO. While children 12 and under can go through with you in the TSA precheck line, I was surprised to see TSA precheck actually printed on my three granddaughters tickets with Jetblue in August.

 

[NYHeel]

Yes, some smaller airports don't participate. Also not all airlines. Jetblue, SW and United are a YES for me. Frontier is a NO. I have flown 8 times since getting my number and have gotten it everytime. That is out of BWI, IAD, DCA and MCO. While children 12 and under can go through with you in the TSA precheck line, I was surprised to see TSA precheck actually printed on my three granddaughters tickets with Jetblue in August.

That's good to know. I have Global Entry and recently got it for my wife and 13 year old son (I didn't pay anywhere close to full price). We're also travelling with my 9 year old and 7 year old and am hoping everything goes smoothly as far as TSA pre-check is concerned. Your experience makes me feel better. It's always better if it says pre-check on the boarding pass and that way you don't have to rely on the TSA agent knowing the rules.

 

[boBQuincy]

Precheck can be random. I flew to MCO in December and got precheck both ways then flew about a week later to PHL and got no precheck either way. My guess is the last minute reservation to PHL and an airport I normally do not fly to flagged something that prevented me from getting Precheck.

 

[Starwind]

That's good to know. I have Global Entry and recently got it for my wife and 13 year old son (I didn't pay anywhere close to full price). We're also travelling with my 9 year old and 7 year old and am hoping everything goes smoothly as far as TSA pre-check is concerned. Your experience makes me feel better. It's always better if it says pre-check on the boarding pass and that way you don't have to rely on the TSA agent knowing the rules.

My understanding is your boarding pass has to say PreCheck or you don't get to use the line. Having Nexus, Global Entry or PreCheck does not entitle you to use the PreCheck line UNLESS it is printed on your boarding pass by the airline.

From the TSA FAQ see https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/faq
QUOTE


If I present my CBP trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI), will TSA allow me to utilize the TSA Pre✓® lane?
No. This card is used by CBP at land border crossings and is not accepted by TSA for expedited screening access. The CBP PASSID is a nine-digit number that usually begins with 98 and serves as your known traveler number. Your individual reservation — passenger name record — must include your KTN. Travelers can check with the airlines to verify their KTN is listed in the passenger name record. Travelers who have been cleared for TSA Pre✓® will have information embedded in the barcode of their boarding pass and will have an indicator printed directly on the boarding pass.

 

[n2mm]

My understanding is your boarding pass has to say PreCheck or you don't get to use the line. Having Nexus, Global Entry or PreCheck does not entitle you to use the PreCheck line UNLESS it is printed on your boarding pass by the airline.

From the TSA FAQ see https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/faq
QUOTE


If I present my CBP trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI), will TSA allow me to utilize the TSA Pre✓® lane?
No. This card is used by CBP at land border crossings and is not accepted by TSA for expedited screening access. The CBP PASSID is a nine-digit number that usually begins with 98 and serves as your known traveler number. Your individual reservation — passenger name record — must include your KTN. Travelers can check with the airlines to verify their KTN is listed in the passenger name record. Travelers who have been cleared for TSA Pre✓® will have information embedded in the barcode of their boarding pass and will have an indicator printed directly on the boarding pass.

I think they are talking about children under 13. They can go in the tsa precheck line with an adult who has precheck even if the children's boarding passes don't say it. We have taken our grandkids with us through the line many times.

 

[KVH]

Wait - I thought Global Entry included TSA Precheck. As least that what the Homeland site says. How do we reconcile TSA and CBP differences?

 

[OKW Lover]

Wait - I thought Global Entry included TSA Precheck. As least that what the Homeland site says. How do we reconcile TSA and CBP differences?

Global Entry does include PreCheck. We have Global Entry.

 

[Starwind]

Wait - I thought Global Entry included TSA Precheck. As least that what the Homeland site says. How do we reconcile TSA and CBP differences?

There is no difference.

Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck privileges. So does NEXUS and SENTRI.

BUT NOBODY who has PreCheck privileges (via Global Entry, SENTRI, NEXUS, or through having gone through the TSA PreCheck process itsself) is guaranteed to get to use the PreCheck line for every trip or every segment of every trip. In addition, only certain airports and certain airlines participate in PreCheck and the PreCheck lines are only open certain hours.

For each flight, TSA decides (based on their own, nonpublic criteria) who gets to use the PreCheck line and if a person is selected the participating airline puts a PreCheck notation on their boarding pass. You cannot just show up at the PreCheck line with a non-PreCheck boarding pass and your Global Nexus card and get into the line. You have to have the PreCheck notation on the boarding pass.

To be elgiible to use the Precheck line for any given flight segment: If you have Global Entry, SENTRI or NEXUS you have to give your airline your KTN (known traveler number) in advance of your flight. Different airlines have different ways of navigating this -- some you enter it in your frequent flyer profile before you make your reservation, others you enter when you make the reservations, others do it by phone, others you do it in person at the counter when you are checking in. *check with your airline to find out how they handle the KTN and to make sure it is actually attached to your specific reservation*. At some point the airline shares the KTN (and presumably other) info with TSA, who makes the determination for each flight which passengers get to use the TSA PreCheck line, which is then marked by the airline on the boarding pass (and encoded in the boarding pass bar code).

Note, Global Entry and SENTRI and NEXUS also have additional Customs-related privileges and possibly some others (e.g. ability to apply for equivalent program in certain other countries) depending on the program.

SW

 

[Starwind]

[/QUOTE]

That's good to know. I have Global Entry and recently got it for my wife and 13 year old son (I didn't pay anywhere close to full price). We're also travelling with my 9 year old and 7 year old and am hoping everything goes smoothly as far as TSA pre-check is concerned. Your experience makes me feel better. It's always better if it says pre-check on the boarding pass and that way you don't have to rely on the TSA agent knowing the rules.

Note: it has to say PreCheck on the boarding pass or you don't get to use the line, even if you have Global Entry. (children 12 and under can accompany a PreCheck eligible adult, even if the child does not have their own card).

Global Entry (and SENTRI and NEXUS and TSA PreCheck program itself) gives you PreCheck privileges, but what that actually means is that if you have given the participating airline your KTN number and it is attached to that specific reservation and you are flying from a participating airport, you are eligible for TSA to select you to be allowed to use the PreCheck line. They may or may not -- they have nonpublic criteria they use to decide who on what flight get to use the PreCheck line. If TSA chooses you for your flight, the airline puts the PreCheck info on your boarding pass. You can then use the PreCheck line, if it is open.

So, while your odds are probably pretty good you will be selected for any given flight segment, it is not a guarantee you will be selected.

SW