TSA pre-check status and considerations

[dnewton3]

My wife and I are considering getting "pre-check" approved.

WIFE:
She visits her mom in AZ every 2 or 3 months; been doing this for a while. I think it makes sense for her to get approved, as she flys enough to make it worth her while.

ME:
I pretty much never fly. I hate commercial air travel. I'm not afraid to fly; the principle of flight is sound and does not scare me. Rather, I hate the potential inconveniences of long lines, delayed flights, missed flights, rude passengers, cramped seats, lost luggage, etc. I haven't flown in probably 15 years. I only have one upcoming trip where flight is worth the aggravation; a one-time trip to HI this year.

Questions:
Does it make sense for me to get pre-check approved if I only anticipate one trip in the foreseeable future?
Are there any downsides to me getting approved?

 

[Astro14]

Get precheck. Absolutely. Can save you half an hour in a big airport. Plus the screening is less invasive.

The time to do this before you anticipate the travel. Don’t wait until you have a need for it, or it won’t get done in time...

 

[PontiacHO]

It is better to have although now there is the facial-eye scan technology which trumps pre check. The pre check line at JFK is as slow as traditional since the facial—eye scan line takes priority. Just saying.

 

[racer12306]

I had PreCheck as a part of a Global Entry card for several years. I flew regularly from 2008 - 2018 and it was great.

Now that I'm only flying for vacations, ehhhh. I'm also not one who has really thrown a fit over airport security. IMO, people make it out to be worse than it is. Not taking off your shoes is kind of nice, especially is it's difficult for you, however, most airports state that people of a more experienced age don't have to take off shoes anyways.

Get there 2 hours prior and you're fine.

Since I hadn't looked it up, I pulled up the TSA site. It's $78 for 5 years, fairly trivial if you fly semi-regularly or even once a year. Additionally, there are credit card programs that can cover some or all of the fee, https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/credit-cards-offer

Pretty sure I have one of the listed credit cards, I might sign up.

I definitely see a benefit for your wife flying several times a year.

 

[dnewton3]

Get precheck. Absolutely. Can save you half an hour in a big airport. Plus the screening is less invasive.

The time to do this before you anticipate the travel. Don’t wait until you have a need for it, or it won’t get done in time...

I think it makes sense for my wife, for sure.

Not that I haven't wasted money before, but $78 for a one time effort to save me 1/2 hour at an airport doesn't seem cost effective for me. Again - I only anticipate to travel this one time in the foreseeable future. The pre-check lasts 5 years and then has to be renewed again for $70 (today's cost). By the time I might fly again, my pre-check would almost certainly be expired and I'd have to apply again anyway.

I'm leaning towards yes for her and no for me. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for me to get one.

 

[JHZR2]

Precheck usually is the way to go. Often it’s a shorter line, and it’s a faster one. I’ve seen a few cases now, including in Indianapolis last week, where the precheck was longer than the regular line. But that’s the exception.

 

[Vil_Riker]

TSA pre-check is the most hilarious concept. They first pass legislation to create a degrading travel process and then charge you $300 to spare you from going through the process.

 

[Vil_Riker]

I think it makes sense for my wife, for sure.

Not that I haven't wasted money before, but $78 for a one time effort to save me 1/2 hour at an airport doesn't seem cost effective for me. Again - I only anticipate to travel this one time in the foreseeable future. The pre-check lasts 5 years and then has to be renewed again for $70 (today's cost). By the time I might fly again, my pre-check would almost certainly be expired and I'd have to apply again anyway.

I'm leaning towards yes for her and no for me. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for me to get one.

If the wife is hot it may save her from pat downs by the TSA agents. They seem to always randomly select hot women for pat downs.

 

[I<3oil]

I think it makes sense for my wife, for sure.

Not that I haven't wasted money before, but $78 for a one time effort to save me 1/2 hour at an airport doesn't seem cost effective for me. Again - I only anticipate to travel this one time in the foreseeable future. The pre-check lasts 5 years and then has to be renewed again for $70 (today's cost). By the time I might fly again, my pre-check would almost certainly be expired and I'd have to apply again anyway.

I'm leaning towards yes for her and no for me. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for me to get one.

Correct. Only flying 1-2x a year? Nah. 5-10x a year? Sure.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

She should get it. It's $80/for 5 years. Worth it IMO.

If you are traveling with her, have her buy the tickets in her name with you accompanying her. You will get Pre-Check. At least this was the way it was a few years ago when I was flying frequently for business. Those of us in the office who had Pre-Check, the younger folks who didn't, were on our tickets. They got it with us....well those that were US Citizens.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I fly 2 to 4 times per year. Pre-check would be nice, but is not a big deal for me. If you fly that infrequently, why bother?
Of course I fly outta San Jose International, which is reasonably organized. But not always!

 

[TiGeo]

My wife and I are considering getting "pre-check" approved.

WIFE:
She visits her mom in AZ every 2 or 3 months; been doing this for a while. I think it makes sense for her to get approved, as she flys enough to make it worth her while.

ME:
I pretty much never fly. I hate commercial air travel. I'm not afraid to fly; the principle of flight is sound and does not scare me. Rather, I hate the potential inconveniences of long lines, delayed flights, missed flights, rude passengers, cramped seats, lost luggage, etc. I haven't flown in probably 15 years. I only have one upcoming trip where flight is worth the aggravation; a one-time trip to HI this year.

Questions:
Does it make sense for me to get pre-check approved if I only anticipate one trip in the foreseeable future?
Are there any downsides to me getting approved?

I can't imagine not having pre-check. Had it as long as it's been around - I travel frequently. My wife just got it b/c we are starting to travel together more as the kids are older and it drove me bonkers the time we did and she didn't have it. No shoes off, no drama, just walk through a metal detector and to the gate. This is a $85 cost here for 5 years...worth it. If she has it, you should get it too even if just for a flight every once in a while together. There are no downsides. It's all about reduces the inconveniences you dislike about air travel and TSA security is one of the biggest ones so why not reduce it if you can?

 

[TiGeo]

TSA pre-check is the most hilarious concept. They first pass legislation to create a degrading travel process and then charge you $300 to spare you from going through the process.

$85 or so - where are you getting $300? I do agree with you in concept.

 

[Capt W]

I think it all depends on the airports and their security setups. As an active-duty member and then a DoD civilian, I had (free) precheck for all my travel...which was a lot. Worst experience was Tucson, where they barely staffed the precheck lanes. Made no difference except for not taking off shoes.

My most recent travels consisted of almost weekly trips from STL to DCA, DFW, and GEG. In St Louis and Dallas it was absolutely worth it; Washington D.C. was perpetually a slow joke where precheck didn't matter, and Spokane wasn't busy enough in my opinion to warrant precheck.

I have never flown in or out of IND, so use your best judgement. Haven't flown through PHX in 10 years, so can't help there (if PHX is the destination, that is).

FWIW, my best recent experiences with airport security were in SFO and MCI, both of which went back to private contractors about 4-5 years ago. Much friendlier folks, if nothing else...

Absolutely agree with Vil_Riker. It's really nothing more than a cash grab. If it's the way to go, it should be offered to everyone free of charge (it'll be hidden in your ticket fees either way).

Now that I left government service, we just drive everywhere.

 

[TiGeo]

She should get it. It's $80/for 5 years. Worth it IMO.

If you are traveling with her, have her buy the tickets in her name with you accompanying her. You will get Pre-Check. At least this was the way it was a few years ago when I was flying frequently for business. Those of us in the office who had Pre-Check, the younger folks who didn't, were on our tickets. They got it with us....well those that were US Citizens.

That is not the case now all the time, used to be. Many times even buying my wife a ticket, she wouldn't get pre-check.

 

[tbm5690]

Another fan. Every 5 years is not hard to renew and any descent travel credit card will reimburse you the fee, which is negligible anyways considering the benefit over a 5 year span. I only fly twice a year or so and it is well worth it. I've never waited longer than 10 minutes in a pre-check line.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Get it

 

[Capt W]

That is not the case now all the time, used to be. Many times even buying my wife a ticket, she wouldn't get pre-check.

Yep. Sporadic as the day is long. In 2020 I took the family STL-LAX on SWA and they all got my precheck status. Since then I bought my wife companion tickets to DCA, TUS, and GEG on SWA, AA, and Alaska and waved goodbye to her as I whizzed through precheck while she was taking off her shoes with the serfs.

Fun topic, BTW. Nice to see everyone's differing opinions!

 

[bunnspecial]

My wife and I did pre-check and I've joked(but maybe halfway seriously) that it saved our marriage. The only real arguments we've had have been in security lines where she thought I wasn't moving fast enough to put my belt, shoes, etc back on and repack my bag. That aside, the amount you have to do in regular security(especially if you usually have a laptop and at least one camera like I do) is kind of nuts.

Even flying once or twice a year, precheck is worth it to not have to unpack and undress your bags. We've found on the whole the TSA agents are much friendlier.

The only time we've even sort of had a hold-up was our most recent trip flying with manufacturer-sealed bottles of pre-made baby formula. What he had were 8 oz. bottles, which are permitted despite being over 3.1 oz under the same rules that allow you to bring medicine, etc. They gave us the choice of either opening each one for inspection(not acceptable since unrefrigerated they go bad an hour after opening and we had a full day of travel ahead of us) or to swab each for explosive residue and have one person from our party walk through the full body. That one didn't make a lot of sense to me either(that they only needed one person to go through) but I went through it while my wife stayed with the baby and watch them pull and swab the bottles. It was the same deal on our return trip with the exact same policy.

It was fine though and only took a couple of extra minutes. I can't imagine how much of a nightmare that deal would have been in regular TSA.

 

[c502cid]

I think it makes sense for my wife, for sure.

Not that I haven't wasted money before, but $78 for a one time effort to save me 1/2 hour at an airport doesn't seem cost effective for me. Again - I only anticipate to travel this one time in the foreseeable future. The pre-check lasts 5 years and then has to be renewed again for $70 (today's cost). By the time I might fly again, my pre-check would almost certainly be expired and I'd have to apply again anyway.

I'm leaning towards yes for her and no for me. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for me to get one.

If Indy is your home airport then yes for her just because you are a good husband, definitely not for you. Indy security is fast and easy. This is coming from someone with Pre-check, Clear, Global Entry, Nexus. At Indy, allow yourself 10 extra minutes (note not during Indy, Christmas, Spring Break etc) and you are through. Save the cash!