The Transportation Safety Administration expects to screen more than 65 million travelers over the spring break travel season— 7% higher than last year.
That means if you’re planning to fly anytime soon, expect longer airport security lines. (A TSA spokesman says the longer lines are being caused by higher travel volume and more rigorous screening.)
If the thought of waiting in line at the airport makes you want to take the bus, you might be considering signing up for TSA precheck, which lets you avoid the crowds altogether and use a separate lane at the airport (150 U.S. airports have TSA precheck lines). Members don’t have to take off their shoes and are able to leave their laptops and liquids securely in their bags. It’s like being at a theme park and having a fast pass that lets you to skip the line.
Seems like a great deal, right? Not so fast. While precheck is a no-brainer for some travelers, paying for the privilege of precheck probably isn’t worth it for others.
Right now the only way to obtain TSA precheck is to complete an application online and then schedule an interview at an application center. There, officials take your fingerprints, ask a few questions and charge you $85.
Since you have to carve out time to do the interview in person, the application process is a bit of an inconvenience. There are about 2 million people enrolled in TSA precheck now.
But the once-exclusive service might soon become more mainstream, thanks to a recently introduced bill meant to make getting TSA precheck easier for the masses -- and likely resulting in longer security lines. The House approved the bill -- which would let people sign up for precheck entirely online or at airport kiosks -- on Feb. 23, and if the Senate gives it a thumbs up, the TSA will have 90 days to develop online enrollment standards.
So if the entire process moves online, and it becomes easier to get TSA precheck, is it still worth the money?
The case for it
The most important factor here is wait time, and according to the TSA, 99.14% of precheck passengers waited in line for less than 5 minutes in 2015. That stat alone is enough to make some travelers head straight to the application office.
Overall, people seem to be pretty content with the program, especially business travelers. A recent study from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) found that 66% of business travelers say they’re highly satisfied with the hassle-free nature of the program.
And it’s not just a perk for corporate road warriors. Frequent leisure travelers like Melinda Crow agree that $85 is worth the time she saves at the airport. “I love precheck! It’s a little frustrating that TSA has inconsistencies in the way it’s implemented in some terminals, but when you hit those sweet spots where all the pieces are in place, it’s nice to breeze through with your shoes on and less hassle,” she said.
One common argument from travelers is that they have put off buying precheck because the TSA regularly lets them go to the expedited line anyway.
But in September, the TSA announced it was changing the rules that allowed regular travelers -- who aren’t enrolled in the precheck program -- to join the fast lane for free. Previously, the TSA would let random passengers into the precheck lane after inspecting their hands for residue from explosives. That practice has been eliminated.
While the TSA will continue to allow non-precheck travelers to go through the expedited lane after they’re screened by TSA dogs, it won’t be as common a practice as it has been in the past. So if you like life in the fast lane, you’ll have to pay for it.
The case against it
Many passengers see TSA precheck as their chance to have a VIP experience— strolling past the crowd while others slowly zig-zag their way to the front of the line. But in reality, the TSA is actually trying to increase the number of travelers who get to use the expedited lanes.
In fact, the TSA has announced plans to increase enrollment to 25 million travelers in their precheck and Global Entry programs. By increasing the number of travelers who have been pre-screened, the TSA hopes to focus more time on the other people going through security.
Currently, there are 6.2 million people that have been pre-screened for TSA programs: 2 million are enrolled in TSA precheck, and 6.2 have signed up for Global entry, which lets travelers breeze through customs when returning from an international trip. Global entry costs $100 and includes TSA precheck.
With the TSA’s desire to increase enrollment numbers, and the proposed bill that will allow everyone to apply online, there’s no telling how many people will have precheck. It’s pretty safe to say more travelers will be heading to the quick lanes. It’s sort of like finding an elusive four-leaf clover only to discover that your neighbor already has one.
Some travelers have complained that TSA precheck is also inconsistent from airport to airport. Not every airport has the expedited queue, and at the airports that do, it’s not always available at every terminal.
For travel blogger Sherry Ott, there doesn’t seem to be a big reason to invest in precheck. “Occasionally I get selected for TSA precheck, but I never signed up for it. I find that so many people now have TSA precheck that the lines aren't really any different,” she says.
Verdict: Maybe
If you’re a frequent flier in and out of airports on a monthly basis, precheck is totally worth the money. Depending on where, when and what times you travel, your experience will vary. That said, there will come a day when the line at airport security is a mile long, and you get to slide to the front like Beyonce arriving at a Grammys after-party.
If you only take a yearly trip with your family, then give precheck a pass. Instead, use that $85 to buy a round of cinnamon rolls for your kids at the airport.
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