Getting TSA pre...

Seen it a couple of times on BA travels, but got waved through it in Vegas on VS the last time...

How can you consistently get TSA pre. I was used to priority lane's as AA First/BA Club in some airports but others I'm in normal queue and the mystery of how you get into TSA pre check queue was raised again.

I think some people just blag it. Walk up. Go through, nobody to check that theirs qualifies, and use it... Or they know how to use it. Seemed to be the usual 20 odd people queued up there last time in LAX, and the gate dude did turn away most of 'em...

I've had TSA pre-check on my boarding pass quite a few times for internal USA flights. Its normally very welcome as it saves time in queues (lines). It appears sporadically with no consistent pattern.

Citizens of the USA and US passport holders can apply. The rest of us seem to have to accept pot-luck.

More here: https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck

Cheers
Martin

I've had TSA pre-check on my boarding pass quite a few times for internal USA flights. Its normally very welcome as it saves time in queues (lines). It appears sporadically with no consistent pattern.

Citizens of the USA and US passport holders can apply. The rest of us seem to have to accept pot-luck.

More here: https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck

Ah so its randomly printed on passports? I wasn't even aware of that. I thought it was a card thing or something.

I think this is the mystery of the TSA. I got put in a TSA Pre clearance line at SFO last year flying on an economy award ticket with United to HNL whilst my other half didn't Just had a check of my boarding pass for that flight (as I'm sad and keep those kind of things) and there is nothing on there about being "TSA Pre Clearance".

Am I eligible for TSA Pre Clearance - No - according to the TSA website which says:

The TSA Pre✓® application program membership is open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents.

Neither am I a member of their Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI programmes which also gives you TSA Pre clearnace.

So if you get put in a TSA Pre Clearance line think yourself lucky as you won't need to take part in the normal screening lottery, is it a shoes on or off day, laptops in or out, liquids in or out kind of day as everytime I go through a TSA line it's different.

I'm all for tightened security but I wish they would be consistent - maybe though that's part of the cunning plan, be inconsistent - who knows, I definitely don't.

Some people qualify for TSA-Pre and can register etc.

When it is quiet, they can use the TSA-pre lanes to reduce the main queue. This is random, is if for the convince of the TSA. I also have used the TSA-Pre line at Vegas when traveling on BA. All other lanes were closed at the time i went through.

From what I can tell none of the Pre Clearance programmes are free and all cost. If I was a member of one of these programmes and saw the TSA letting anyone through I would be extremely peeved. It makes a mockery of the entire system.

From what I can tell none of the Pre Clearance programmes are free and all cost. If I was a member of one of these programmes and saw the TSA letting anyone through I would be extremely peeved. It makes a mockery of the entire system.

But they are only letting people in when it makes sense and doesn't disadvantage the paying customers. It helps keep the price of the service down as well. People who don't qualify it, only use it when the operation requires it, a bit like an operational upgrade. You don't see many people complaining about people being upgraded for free?

You don't see many people complaining about people being upgraded for free?

Of course not, that's human nature, hardly anyone is going to complain when they get something for free, but I can imagine those sitting there who have paid a lot for their seat aren't going to be impressed if they find out.

If you've paid for a service then they start randomly handing out the same service for free where's the incentive to buy it in the first place?

It's not like I or anyone else was pre-selected when the TSA officer decided to divert loads of us down that line. Probably in the queue I was sent in to was someone who legitimately deserved to be there and ended up having to wait. Did I complain of course not I was getting something for nothing after all my flight had only cost me $5 in taxes, not even enough to contribute to the running of the security line.

Just playing devils advocate here.

TSA precheck is only available on certain airlines--mostly US airlines plus Air Canada. Precheck members can enter their Known Traveler Number in their booking on those airlines to get the TSA precheck notation on their boarding pass. If you're not precheck and are flying on a precheck airline you might get a precheck notation on your boarding pass, though I think this is quite rare. Flying on any airline, including non-precheck airlines like VS, you may be (somewhat randomly) directed to the precheck line when going through security.

Precheck can be applied for directly, is included with Global Entry, NEXUS, etc, and is, I believe, still included as a benefit to elite members of some frequent flier programs.

I've got both Global Entry and Pre-Check (whilst being a UK citizen ) and when I've travelled with someone before who doesn't have Pre-Check they have been directed to follow me into the Pre-Check line so I think it is just a random picking if it's quiet.

It's definitely useful though, not having to remove shoes, liquids, belts or laptops. You have to put in your Known Traveller Number when you book so the little TSA Pre logo get printed on your boarding card.

It's less the not having to remove shoes, its more the not standing behind a hundred people who have to be instructed to have their shoes removed, belt removed, baffled as to what a liquid is and stuff like that...

On subject of liquids, I mistakenly left a bottle of suncream in my bag coming back from Cancun, and it wasn't pulled. I've had a little bottle of red wine pulled from hand luggage on way back from Vegas, which I had got handed to me off the AA first class on the way in, and I'd forgotten about it. That being thrown away made me a little sad.

It's less the not having to remove shoes, its more the not standing behind a hundred people who have to be instructed to have their shoes removed, belt removed, baffled as to what a liquid is and stuff like that...

I got moved once from the Pre line cause it was busy to a normal line and even though they moved you from Pre, you still had to remove everything. I know it's first world problems, but I think when I travel a lot and just about get used to a routine, changes to layout and procedure definitely throw me and I end up being just a confused as the normal once-a-year travelling public! Don't get me started on the new LHR connections regime or the LTN new temp layouts!

On subject of liquids, I mistakenly left a bottle of suncream in my bag coming back from Cancun, and it wasn't pulled. I've had a little bottle of red wine pulled from hand luggage on way back from Vegas, which I had got handed to me off the AA first class on the way in, and I'd forgotten about it. That being thrown away made me a little sad.

You could have always chugged it like this lady.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-34054892

Can you enter a known traveller number into Virgin's system ?

Can you enter a known traveller number into Virgin's system ?

No. Precheck is only available on certain airlines. Mostly US airlines plus Air Canada.

I believe the current list of airlines is:

Air Canada

Alaska Airlines

American Airlines

Delta Air Lines

Hawaiian Airlines

JetBlue Airways

OneJet

Southwest Airlines

Sun Country Airlines

United Airlines

Virgin America

We had a new to us variation of 'random' last month when we flew from EWR to RSW. Given TSA pre on our boarding passes, only to find when we got to security that the TSA pre line was closed! So back alas to the as usual slow, endless ordinary EWR security line.

We had a new to us variation of 'random' last month when we flew from EWR to RSW. Given TSA pre on our boarding passes, only to find when we got to security that the TSA pre line was closed! So back alas to the as usual slow, endless ordinary EWR security line.

Just because you're Precheck doesn't mean there will actually be a Precheck lane. At EWR they often don't have enough security checkpoints open to offer a Precheck lane, but recently going through security there I've been given a card allowing me to keep my shoes, belt, and light jacket on. Still have to remove computer and liquids from the carry-on bags, though.