MyOnlinePresence

I do not believe in credit cards so I always carry a "large" amount of cash on my person.

I plan on traveling domestically extensively in the next month.

What "problems" might I face with TSA, if any? Thank you.

Often1

None. There is nothing illegal about cash per se and nothing prohibited about taking it through a check-point.

Traveling with cash may make no sense, but it's not prohibited.

jkhuggins

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

Officially, TSA has no regulations regarding traveling with large sums of cash domestically. If you were traveling internationally, TSA might press you to demonstrate that you'd declared the cash with CBP --- but you've already indicated that the question is about domestic travel.

Unofficially, there are numerous reports here about how travelers with large amounts of cash are occasionally subjected to significant additional screening, for no apparent reason other than the "unusual" nature of carrying large quantities of cash. How common such events are is uncertain.

TSA states that you can request a private screening at any time. On the one hand, that would allow you to keep your valuables in sight without advertising to the public that you are, in fact, carrying large quantities of cash on your person. On the other hand, it places you in a private room with strangers, and will probably extend the amount of time you will spend at the checkpoint.

However you choose to proceed, I would recommend allowing for extra time at the checkpoint, in case your screening takes longer than a passenger carrying more limited amounts of currency. Reports here show that TSOs will often use the threat of holding you long enough to miss your flight to force compliance with their mistaken views of their own policies; having extra time in your schedule helps to negate that threat.

Good luck.

Michael El

Not a bad idea. What's your view on a debit cards?

I think you're setting yourself up to be a target of criminals.

There have been reports of overzealous TSA clerks calling LEOs to harass folks who carry large sums of cash thereby causing delays due to unwarranted interrogations.

MyOnlinePresence

Should I ever disclose the amount of money I have on me if asked by a TSA / LEO?

Michael El

Hell no!

OverThereTooMuch

Depends on the question. Answer honestly or don't answer (though the latter is only recommended if you have a lot of extra time on your hands).

Blogndog

As are people who use banks.

chollie

As are people who wear expensive jewelry, expensive watches, carry iphones and ipads. Indeed, at one time I read a recommendation that people swap out the white earpieces that came with Ipods because it makes them a target - the thief knows they have an Apple product (highly desirable) and not just some run-of-the-mill item.

And of course, wearing Air Jordans has gotten people killed.

A large amount of cash can be concealed while walking around in public. Just can't be concealed from the xray vision of the TSOs. A wad of cash is not a threat to aviation safety, it's not illegal, and it's none of TSA's business. Ironic that you will draw more attention with $2000 in one dollar bills than $5000 in $100 bills.

janetdoe

Never. Personally, I would go on the offensive and say something like, "As I understand it, TSA has only has authority to search for items related to flight safety. May I speak with your supervisor to clarify?"

There was a settlement in the Bierfeldt case that TSA agents would be instructed that they should not ask about cash:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-..._b_352660.html

I think that Supreme Court have affirmed that TSA can only search for weapons, incendiaries, and explosives (WEI) but if they happen to uncover evidence of something illegal during the search (drugs, child porn, etc), they can report their suspicions to cops / FBIs, and the evidence would be allowed under 4th Amendment. The TSA technically has no power or authority to detain you until the cops or FBI get there, but practically, it might be hard to avoid it if they decide to detain you.

Loren Pechtel

Court cases aside, the real point of the TSA is to bypass the pesky 4th, they're not going to let the courts stop that.

nrr

When you go through airport checkpoints, why not "bury" your cash (even your wallet), deep inside your carry-on bag(s). [Breaking the total into several smaller pieces, might be good also.]
Should we trust the security of checkpoints?--there have been reports of bags (even laptops) "disappearing" from the belt.

Kiwi Flyer

Welcome to Flyer Talk MyOnlinePresence

To me $15k seems an excessive tip for a TSA grope (or non-grope depending on your preference).

Paul56

Bring the paper trail of the cash with you to demonstrate
where it came from out of your sources should someone
decide to give you a difficult time.

I am not a big believer in credit cards either but I still
use them and pay them off promptly. I would rather do
that and have multiple sources of funds with me than
have one single source... a large wad of cash.

I hope you have some method of securing it such that
you don't spend your time worrying about it.

chollie

The paper trail is like a doctor's letter (or a printout of the TSA website rules): TSA will not accept it because it could be fake.

One woman was detained and grilled by police as well as TSA when TSA discovered a number of sequential checks in her coat pocket. They were written on her and her husband's account, they were legitimate AND, although it was none of TSA or LE's business, her husband knew about them. Fortunately LE was able to reach her husband or she not only would have missed her flight, she likely would have been arrested (for what, I've never understood).