On a recent trip, I was fortunate enough to get chosen to use the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) expedited PreCheck security line, and it was great. PreCheck allows travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on, using special screening lanes.

Back in October 2011, the TSA announced plans to launch a pilot of the PreCheck screening program at four airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Dallas/Fort Worth International and Miami International.

These airports partnered with eligible frequent flyers from American Airlines and Delta Air Lines as well as members of the Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS, who are U.S. citizens and flew on participating airlines. By December 2012, the program was available at 35 airports.

In July 2013, the agency announced it was opening up PreCheck to all eligible travelers. After paying $85 for a card that lasts for five years, any traveler can go to an approved interview facility for screening. Holders of a Global Entry card are automatically enrolled in PreCheck.  Currently in more than 115 airports, TSA says it plans on opening more than 300 application centers across the country in the next few years.

Travelers go online to fill out an application. Once approved, they are directed to go to an application center to give personal information including name, date of birth, address, their fingerprints, payment and required identity and citizenship/immigration documents.

 

For travelers not enrolled in PreCheck, there’s still an opportunity to use it. The TSA uses its Secure Flight system to identify those who may be eligible for expedited screening using information already collected and provided to the agency by the airlines. This effort is used only on a flight-by-flight basis, and a TSA PreCheck indicator will be embedded in the barcode of a boarding pass that allows a traveler to use a PreCheck line.

The TSA created PreCheck as part of an ongoing effort to move away what it calls “a one-size-fits-all approach to transportation security.” Once approved, travelers will receive a Known Traveler Number that can be inserted when booking travel online. If chosen, they will then have the chance to use PreCheck lanes at security checkpoints at more than 100 airports and on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America. But the TSA emphasizes that it will continue to incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport and no traveler will be guaranteed expedited screening.