TSA Precheck

[goofy4tink]

Have to say...it's so nice to do on-line check-in for my JB flight tomorrow and see TSA PreCheck on my boarding pass!!!! Of course dd and dh don't have it, but what can you do? I'll sit and wait for them to get through their 'regular people' line.....

 

[OKW Lover]

Val & I get Precheck often. Its funny how many times one of us gets it and the other doesn't though.

When that happens we usually consolidate all the troublesome carry-on items (computer, liquids, etc) in the pre-check bag so that its easier for the one that has to go through the regular screening.

 

[tjmw2727]

I always get pre-check with US Air and usually get it with SWA along with my younger daughter. Strangely, my older daughter never gets it with either airline!

Once in a while the TSA agent will direct her into line with us but most often we separate. I just take any liquids and electronics with me so she can get through the regular line quicker.

Sometimes we are not all that quicker than she is !

 

[Unas]

It's a shame that the screening you will get isn't the routine screening or all travelers.

 

[goofy4tink]

Val & I get Precheck often. Its funny how many times one of us gets it and the other doesn't though.

When that happens we usually consolidate all the troublesome carry-on items (computer, liquids, etc) in the pre-check bag so that its easier for the one that has to go through the regular screening.

That's what I'm going to be doing Jeff. Dh will have his computer to work from WDW...so that will go in my bag. I'll have my iPad Mini as well, but that's never an issue.

We had one experience where we were all sent to the Precheck line...just lucked out then! It was really nice.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It's a shame that the screening you will get isn't the routine screening or all travelers.

Why?

Oh that is right the harassment of folks actually contributes to security

Seriously, the entire charade is doing nothing useful After all, if you work for the airport or airline you are exempt from lots of the rules that protect us

Of course, none of the folks who are exempt would ever do anything wrong would they? (except be a plotter in the liquid bomb plot or set a fire in an airplane, or be involved in drug smuggling or....)

 

[Detailor]

Have to say...it's so nice to do on-line check-in for my JB flight tomorrow and see TSA PreCheck on my boarding pass!!!! Of course dd and dh don't have it, but what can you do? I'll sit and wait for them to get through their 'regular people' line.....

My wife and I recently returned to Chicago from Boston via Southwest and she had PreCheck but not me (usually it's the other way around). I don't know what they were doing over there in the PreCheck line but I sailed through, put everything back in my bag, put my shoes and belt back on and sat and waited for her!

Dick Taylor

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

My wife and I recently returned to Chicago from Boston via Southwest and she had PreCheck but not me (usually it's the other way around). I don't know what they were doing over there in the PreCheck line but I sailed through, put everything back in my bag, put my shoes and belt back on and sat and waited for her!

Dick Taylor

She was probably held up by the clueless who randomly get this but don't bother to read the rules and stop to take off shoes, etc. Or people who argue with the TSA agents trying to take their whole family through when only one has TSA Pre.

 

[MrsNick]

Hi, so I am not familiar with pre-check. I always thought this was the kind of program you have to pay for or have frequent flyer status to get. Can someone explain it to me? Is there anything you can do to make it more likely you get this? Would be awesome since this is the most stressful part of our vacations. We have so much stuff (DD's OTC liquid meds, her car seat, stroller, toys, snacks, etx) to keep track of that we end up misplacing our own stuff, lol.

 

[Super 27]

Hi, so I am not familiar with pre-check. I always thought this was the kind of program you have to pay for or have frequent flyer status to get. Can someone explain it to me? Is there anything you can do to make it more likely you get this? Would be awesome since this is the most stressful part of our vacations. We have so much stuff (DD's OTC liquid meds, her car seat, stroller, toys, snacks, etx) to keep track of that we end up misplacing our own stuff, lol.

Theoretically any traveler has a chance to be selected for pre-check on any given itinerary. Contrary to popular belief, there is NO way to guarantee that you will always get selected, but there are a couple ways to greatly increase your chances:

1) High level, long-time frequent flyer program members, and those that purchase first or business class fares (even Business Select on Southwest), are more likely to be selected

2) You can enroll in the PreCheck program on the TSA website. They basically do a background check, and you have to go get fingerprinted, but if you do that and pay the fee (I believe it's $85) you will likely get selected no matter what airline you fly or level of ticket you purchase

3) Enroll in one of the DHS trusted traveler programs like NEXUS or Global Entry. The fee is only slightly higher than PreCheck ($100), and it gets you expedited processing at US and/or Canadian customs. If you enter the number they give you when you make your flight reservations, you will be eligible for precheck. The only drawback is that in addition for the fingerprints, you also have to do an interview, and they don't have as many processing centers (i.e. you may have to travel for the interview)

 

[francie57]

Not sure how it works with each airline individually but it seems that random people are give the pre-check on check-in. DH has had it happen while traveling for business on different airlines. You can pay to always have TSA pre-check. We did this recently and its $85 for 5 years (global TSA pre-check is $100 for 5 years - our DD did this since she travels overseas frequently). We had to go for an interview, fingerprintings, and brings lots of identifying documents. It took about 21 days to get the final results and our TSA pre-check numbers. We added them to every airline that we are frequent fliers on and now it will automatically show up on our boarding passes.

 

[bumbershoot]

Would be awesome since this is the most stressful part of our vacations. We have so much stuff (DD's OTC liquid meds, her car seat, stroller, toys, snacks, etx) to keep track of that we end up misplacing our own stuff, lol.

In our experience, the more time you give yourselves, the better. So you can be calm and serene while going through security. Or as calm as possible, at least. Have a plan, talk it through. Who is in charge of what. If you notice a solo traveler behind you, maybe let them go ahead. Smile. One bin holds shoes, another the 311 baggies, another the medical stuff. And so forth. I'm not giving you rules by the way, I'm just giving ideas. . I'm writing from our gate while starting a trip, and our bin held my shoes and our two 311 baggies. And up went DS's carryon, his backpack, my little carryon and my purse. I'd already shoved coats into the carryon so we didn't have to worry about those.

With you i'd do seat and stroller, I'd have a bag for her snacks and toys. Then her medical stuff, then the carryons etc of the adults and intersperse the shoe-Baggie bin(s). Grab everything and move it away as quick as possible and then put on shoes (unless of course someone has a condition where socked feet isn't a good idea). Talk through the plan before and even during security. And it is weird how just smiling can make things less tense. I also tend to smile and get eye contact with the tsa people. Sometimes they do the million mile stare but other times they smile back and that's nice. Happened today and the tsa guy pointed me to an emptier line that I didn't think was open. Made it that much easier!

Meanwhile...I don't think DH has not gotten Pre since they started giving it to Global Entry holders. For him it has been as perfect a way as possible to get it. And if we are on the reservation with him we have gotten it too. We rarely are, though. His travel has to be more flexible than ours, in case work needs him.

Forgive typos, flight is boarding soon and I can't check spelling a third time!

 

[MrsNick]

Thanks super27, Francine and bumbler shoot very informative. I am going to check on this even if I only attempt to get per heck for myself. It seems that even having it for one family member can be helpful.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I've had Global Entry for over a year now and have gotten PreCheck on every flight since I received my Trusted Traveler number, even when flying on an airline that I don't have a frequent flyer account with. I don't have status on any airline, either. I fly enough to know what I'm doing in an aiport (about 18-20 times/year) but not enough to earn me free upgrades.

I had PreCheck on the last flight I took, which was last week, but my flight left too early and there were no PreCheck lanes open so I had to go through the line with the plebs. Usually in such situations the TSA will give you a PreCheck "Fastpass" (my term, not theirs) so even if you have to go through a regular line, you get expedited screening, but no dice this time. What a PITA it was, too. Taking off my shoes. Taking out my laptop. Removing my liquids. At 4:00 in the morning. It was exhausting.

#firstworldproblems





To make this post semi-useful...if you get PreCheck but your children don't, you can still take them through the PreCheck lane with you. My husband never gets it, so he has to go through the regular line, but I take the kids and all the bags so he walks through security pretty painlessly. I'm not sure at what age they stop allowing kids to do this, but mine are only 7 and 4, so I figure we have a few more years left of that little perk.

OH, and once, right after Southwest started participating in PreCheck, the kids were both given PreCheck but neither adult did (I hadn't given Southwest my Trusted Traveler number because they weren't participating at the time I made my reservation). The TSA allowed both my husband and I to accompany our children through the PreCheck line. That was awesome.

 

[goofy4tink]

My wife and I recently returned to Chicago from Boston via Southwest and she had PreCheck but not me (usually it's the other way around). I don't know what they were doing over there in the PreCheck line but I sailed through, put everything back in my bag, put my shoes and belt back on and sat and waited for her!

Dick Taylor

I was at Logan around 6:30ish.....not a huge crowd. I pretty much just walked thru security...never stopped moving. Slowed a bit to grab my carry on bag, but that was it. Only a few of us in that line. I ended up waiting about 10 mins for dh and dd to go thru the regular screening line.

 

[OKW Lover]

I was at Logan around 6:30ish.....not a huge crowd. I pretty much just walked thru security...never stopped moving. Slowed a bit to grab my carry on bag, but that was it. Only a few of us in that line. I ended up waiting about 10 mins for dh and dd to go thru the regular screening line.

Sounds like your trip is off to a flying start!

Yes, pun intended.

 

[MaleficentRN]

To make this post semi-useful...if you get PreCheck but your children don't, you can still take them through the PreCheck lane with you. My husband never gets it, so he has to go through the regular line, but I take the kids and all the bags so he walks through security pretty painlessly. I'm not sure at what age they stop allowing kids to do this, but mine are only 7 and 4, so I figure we have a few more years left of that little perk.

You can bring children 12 and under with you. I'm going to have to pony up the $85 for DS in a few months.