TSA Precheck to Include 5 More Airlines

Montreal, PQ, Canada - November 15, 2015: Airline passengers waiting in line to pass through airport security at Pierre Eliott Trudeau airport

Passengers traveling on All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Contour Aviation, Finnair and Korean Air are now able to apply for the administration’s expedited security program.

Five additional carriers have been added to the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck screening program, GET.com reports. The administration announced last week in an official statement that All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Contour Aviation, Finnair and Korean Air have all joined the scheme, meaning that a total of 42 airlines are now participants in the program.

The PreCheck program expedites the security screening process, something that allows qualifying passengers, “to enjoy a smart and efficient screening experience at 200 U.S. airports,” the administration explains. These pre-approved passengers do not “need to remove shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts or light jackets” at security checkpoints.

The scheme is open to U.S citizens and U.S. nationals as well as to permanent residents at a cost of $17 per year or $85 for five years. Members of the nation’s armed forces are also eligible to apply for PreCheck, as are travelers participating in any of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry and SENTRI as well as NEXUS. The program is open to both those who are departing the U.S. on an international flight as well as those returning international passengers taking domestic flights.

If approved, participants will be given a “Known Traveler Number” which will allow them to use the officially demarcated PreCheck lanes when flying with any of the carriers taking part in the program.

Commenting on this latest expansion, the administration reminded potential passengers that, “As always, TSA continues to incorporate unpredictable security measures, both seen and unseen, throughout the airport. All travelers will be screened, and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening.”