TSA’s PreCheck enrollment center at Washington Dulles Airport. (Image: TSA)
For the past few years, paid-up members of the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program of expedited screenings have been grumbling about the agency’s practice of funneling some non-members into the fast lanes — making those lanes not so fast after all.
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Well, you can stop grumbling. A few months ago, TSA started scaling back on the number of regular passengers allowed into the PreCheck lanes, and now it has reportedly ended the practice altogether.
Now the only persons allowed into PreCheck are those who have paid the $85 fee and gone through a personal interview, as well as members of Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry ($100) and other trusted traveler programs — in other words, anyone who has been assigned a Known Traveler Number by the government.
Related: Fewer amateurs in PreCheck lines
It’s a good thing, too, because TSA said recently that the number of PreCheck members has passed the 1.5 million mark. PreCheck lanes are now available at more than 150 U.S. airports, allowing members to pass through the screening process without removing their shoes or belts, or to remove laptops from their carry-on bags.
TSA currently offers 330 PreCheck enrollment centers around the country, at airports and elsewhere, and it plans to expand that number to more than 400 as a result of a new partnership with MorphoTrust USA and H&R Block.
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Have you noticed a difference? Are the lines moving faster with fewer amateurs? Please leave your comments below.
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In ATL the PreCheck line always seem to be longer than the Delta Sky Priority line. I will peg myself with a person who enters Sky Priority at the same time. They always on their way before I am. I have raced my wife in Atlanta doing this also and I usually beat her by 10 minutes. Other airports PreCheck does better for me than the Sky Priority line. Like others I want to avoid the hassle of tacking a computer and toiletries out of my bag plus my shoes and belt on. The families with small children really slow down the PreCheck line like others mentioned.
Flew from MSP to ATL last Friday and the pre-check line was about 5 times longer than the regular line. And as far as being able to not remove your shoes or belt, I think the scanners were adjusted some time back (although the TSA flunkies at MSP denied it-but what other explanation could there be?), since I never had to remove either, but now I must remove both. Also, I don’t have a KTN, but still get pre-check every time. (I am Diamond with DL.)
My wife and I flew DCA-ATL on Sunday, 9/20, on 2 diff airlines (DL and LUV), and we both had Pre-Check. So, I don’t know when they new policy/practice becomes active; as of 2 days ago, it was not in effect.
All I can say is that on my last flight, the regular screening line moved faster than the PreCheck line even though it was supposedly all Precheck folks. Apparently everyone in the regular line already had been lectured enough about what to do and what not to do that the bag screening was fast. In Precheck, not so much. The bags took longer to screen, a woman up ahead had a full water bottle in her bag, the man in front of me had to take his belt off anyway because the metal detector went off, ya da ya da. All those little momentary delays add up to a long Precheck line. Half the time, I don’t get precheck on my ticket on USAirways anyway. Sigh.
Well I just went through today and I’m not a “member”, nor was I in first class.
A quick question if anyone knows, can folks who have first class tickets still get TSA pre-check???
There seems to be much confusion about this recent update. Managed inclusion (aka confusion or delusion) isn’t ending at all; TSA is simply migrating from one phase of the program to another. I don’t anticipate seeing many changes in ATL and other places where the majority of people in the Pre line are often those with no KTN.
Thanks, Frank! Let us know!
Or dinner. I have encountered closed pre-check lines in Philadelphia, mid-afternoon, and recently in Ft. Lauderdale.
Wasn’t true last Thursday at JFK when I showed up 33 minutes before departure (I know, I know!!) and none of the peeps in the pre-check line knew what they were supposed to do. I guess I will find out if this is true on Friday when I’m back out on the road.
Ha! We have people who try to board with first when they have zone 99, and try to sneak into a seat in first when their seat is in coach. Next up, “but I’ve always had Pre!”
I hope this ends up being true. ATL Precheck is anything but quick. At times the TSA precheck line is longer than the other security lines. If it were not the hassle of holding my pants up with having to take the belt off I’d duck under and go over the normal security lines.
Being honest, most people who have PreCheck _are_ Elites, so it won’t help much… I don’t know many people who aren’t frequent fliers who would pony up the $85 (or $100) for Pre/Global Entry who don’t do it all the time…
I am beyond frustrated with pre-check. Well I love pre-check but can’t understand why on SWA I only get it 2 out of 10 flights when on Delta I get it 100% of the time. I paid for global entry and have no bad raps. SWA says it is random. One trip they told me system was down yet there were plenty of people in the pre-check line. TSA sent me email saying my account is clean. I sure would like to know what is up!
Hi BB: Nope, the airlines at one time could let special people in, but apparently not anymore. TSA says the only way in is to have a known traveler number and the only way to do that is to pay the fee and have a background check. –chris
Chris , what about airlines choosing their favorite people? I always assumed that my United Mileage Plus Visa card was how I got all those freebie pre-checks.
The article you’ve linked to is clearly wrong. I had 5 flights over 3 days last week, and every one had PreCheck on the boarding pass – despite me not having an KTN (and not being able to get one due to being a non-citizen/perm resident)
Now the challenge is for TSA to keep the Pre-Check line open all the time, and not close it when some security guard wants to go to lunch.
HA! Interesting. If you don’t have a “known traveler number” then you are actually one of the folks that should no longer be allowed in… Guess TSA changeover is moving a little slower than expected.
I’m EP with AA and just flew this morning with pre check on my boarding pass. I have never applied not interviewed for pre check lol is that normal?
This will help significantly as the line will both be shorter and move faster as fewer first timers roll through
I’m still waiting for a combined PreCheck + Elite line at those checkpoints with more than 1 Precheck line as often the elite line is empty and precheck is filled.