Originally Posted by pjp
Good point, assuming the elite line and the steerage line both lead to the same group of TSA checkpoints. But if the elite line has its own dedicated checkpoints that are off limits to others, then aren't my tax dollars subsidizing this perk?
While hardly the social gadfly of airports like some of my more esteemed peers on this board, it has been my experience that all the elite line does is gets you to the bank of screening stations quicker. Once at the front of the elite line, you are then directed to whichever station has the shortest queue. I have yet to see an empty, manned screening station waiting for an elite passenger when non-elites were still in queue. ^
One nice thing about SEA is that the elite line for UA/AS/US customers often gets sent to the "crew screening" station, which has short queues. But even here, when not in use by crews/elites, non-elites are sent to it.