Recent experience with TSA pre-check
 

I know many have commented on this, and thought I'd give my recent experience. When we went to Japan in November, the pre-check line and the regular line were both equally long, but the pre-check just took less time (no taking off shoes, removing laptops, etc). It was nice to have but didn't make a big difference.

When we flew to Kauai from Seattle at the beginning of March, the pre-check line was shorter and moved faster but we really noticed the difference on our return from Kauai. Anyone who regularly flies from Kauai knows that the lines are very long and that there are so many infrequent travelers that the lines move very slowly. This time it was a pleasure to get to into the pre-check line - short, moved fast, it made flying easy again!

I think pre-check will become more valuable as more airports are added to the list of those offering pre-check.

We flew the end of March -- domestic to Intl. flight. Both husband and I have been pre-check since its inception. Now it seems everyone has "bought into" the program. Not only was the pre-check line long, but every Joe hauled his wife and twelve kids through the pre-check line as well. I'm certain they hadn't all had TSA background checks. Why doesn't "pre-check Joe" have to go through the regular line if he has a bunch of non-cleared fliers in tow?

TC, I thought everyone in your party had to have pre-check on the boarding pass to use the pre-check line. Yikes! That would be annoying!

On our five flights to and from Europe last month, I was given TSA pre-check status. Haven't a clue why. Never applied for it or whatever you have to do, but it was nice.

I almost always get pre-check at OHare now. It was offered to me by United Airlines (no charge... but I'm a 1K, million miler). I now have global entry as well. Both are time savers!

The TSA-Pre line at ORD T1 is often longer than the priority security line next to it, but it moves faster. I've seen it as long as 30-40 people. They've added a second Pre checkpoint in that terminal but I keep forgetting about it--the couple of times I did use it, there was almost no one there (note to self...).

The airport terminal I use almost as much, Phoenix T2, <i>finally</i> added a Pre line late last year!

I flew with my mother a few months ago. She has does not have Global Entry, paid Pre or any FF status (and rarely travels now, for that matter). But she was on the same reservation with me and did get Pre on her boarding passes, which was a nice change.

Interesting, ms_go. DH and I were on the same ticket to Vegas in January. I got pre-check on my boarding pass, he didn't! He will now though, global entry just was approved mid-March.

I signed up for Pre via Delta for fre and have received it on every boarding pass since on DL or SW. It didn't print on my SW online checkin boarding pass the other day at ATL so I stood in line, but when the agent checked by ID and boarding pass, the machine beeped and she sent me over to the Pre line.

At ATL it has been a shorter line each time and smooth.

At SAN it was as long as regular line with many people clueless as to why they were there or what it meant, still asking what they had to do, toddlers, etc., so it took as long as the regular line, but I didn't have to remove everything.

I am still clueless as to what it means and why I was given this. Anyone ?

I have never done anything special, but a few times recently I got directed over into that pre-check line (leave shoes on, etc.). I assumed it was just to keep things moving, and maybe because I was traveling alone and without much carry-on.

If you are a frequent flier, the airline may have enough info on you to give you pre-check.

Even before I was Global Entry, I sometimes had pre-check printed on my boarding pass because I am a frequent flier. I don't know that they can just randomly direct you to the pre-check line. Suze, did your boarding pass say TSA pre-check?

I think Kathie is right. The airlines might know enough about you to offer their pre-check without your knowing. I also am a very frequent flier, and UA gave me pre-check without my knowledge. I was surprised to find it on my boarding pass for the first time, some time back.

There has been a big push for people to sign up/buy Pre Check ability, whether thru Global Entry or other means.

In order to get people to do this, there have been big numbers of infrequent flyers given the chance(s) to go thru pre check lines. Idea is that once you try it, you'll buy it. It is a big promotional program. Once they get the numbers they want into the program; it will end for those who haven't paid or earned it.

Like I said, I've been Pre-Check since its inception. I was offerd the opportunity by Delta. No background check required. All I had to do was say "yes". Noted above, others are shuttled through the PC line as a sales pitch or because they are riding on the coatails of another.

How is this making our flights safer? Why not just dump the whole program? Each ticket includes a huge "security fee". What security are we getting for our money? Personally, I'd rather see ticket prices decrease by one or two hundred dollars and take my chances on security. Isn't that what we're doing anyhow? Only now we're paying for something we don't receive and traveling in a dream world with this false sense of security.

What is Global Entry ?

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-tr...s/global-entry

Basically, "Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States."

Sounds like utter nonsense. Is this something one pays for ?

Bedar, it is $100 for 5 years. My AmEx platinum card reimbursed the fee when I signed up. If you travel internationally very often, which I do, the global entry kiosk saves you a lot of time at the immigration line.

Nice that you got reimbursed, but we would NEVER pay for such a service.

As a frequent flier who travels internationally with some regularity, being able to bypass passport control as I come home is well worth $100 for five years.

I am a frequent flier, too, but I think everyone should be treated the same. No $100 or $5 to be treated differently.

So, only economy seats?

Airlines are private companies. Global Entry seems to be the govt.

To be eligible for GE, you must have a background check, and the $100 is the fee for the background check and other processing. If they don't grant you GE due to the background check, you still have to pay the $100.

While there are surely many instances of governments treating wealthy people more favorably than the common man, this isn't one of them.

We were informed that we had that special TSA status on the way home from San Diego a couple of weeks ago on Southwest. The agent said don't get used to it-- it's random.

The Pre-Check program is more random for some than for others. GE folks seem to have close to 100% success (I've only been pushed back to the kettle line once since they started the program) while people pulled out of those regular lines win only once in a while, usually depending on how empty the PC line is at the time.