Why doesn't NZ participate in the US PreCheck program?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
Why doesn't NZ participate in the US PreCheck program?
Anyone know why NZ doesn't participate? QF, VS, and, surprisingly, BA don't participate either. Seems like most other non-US carriers do, including some with minimal levels of activity.
#2
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Air NZ Koru, Air NZ ELT *G, IHG Spire Ambassador, Emirates, Flying Blue, QANTAS Club
Posts: 424
Possibly need to be USA resident / citizen :/ social security number holder?
Note: At this time, only U.S. citizens, U.S. Nationals and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) are eligible for the application.
Last edited by kiwicyclo; May 9, 2018 at 12:10 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
Yes, but most non-US carriers participate as they want to encourage US pax, especially high-yielding business pax, to find it easier to travel on them. BA's not participating is the real oddity!
#4
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BLQ / TRG
Programs: NZ*E, UA*1K, QF Plat
Posts: 1,071
High yielding business passengers at Air NZ's departure points can use the business class security lines.
#5
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: NZ *E
Posts: 346
It doesn't really compare to TSA Precheck. It's one of the one things I appreciate when traveling United internationally is to be able to use these security lines and not worry about shoes, etc
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SJC
Programs: NZ*G, QF NB, UA 1K, AA ExecPlat, IHG PlatAmb, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, ZE1 PC
Posts: 2,636
I've wondered this myself (in particular about BA and QF, less so about NZ). I think it would be a nice improvement.
Given that UK nationals can also participate in Global Entry (and thus implicitly TSA Pre), it seems like this would be attractive for the LAX-LHR flight if nothing else.
Edit: now that I think about it, since TBIT doesn't have a TSA Pre checkpoint except at the transit facility, this may be of limited value. It would provide benefit at IAH/SFO/HNL/ORD (IIRC Pre is coming to T5).
Given that UK nationals can also participate in Global Entry (and thus implicitly TSA Pre), it seems like this would be attractive for the LAX-LHR flight if nothing else.
Edit: now that I think about it, since TBIT doesn't have a TSA Pre checkpoint except at the transit facility, this may be of limited value. It would provide benefit at IAH/SFO/HNL/ORD (IIRC Pre is coming to T5).
Last edited by ajnz; May 9, 2018 at 1:29 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New Zealand
Programs: Air New Zealand NZ*S
Posts: 237
#8
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: YYZ/SFO/AKL
Programs: NZ*G, back of the bus UA, corner of the MLL AC.
Posts: 373
#9
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SEA
Programs: NZ Elite (*G)
Posts: 657
The big problem for me is SFO. I usually book my domestic ticket getting to the international departure separately. At LAX I can just stay in the secure zone and head to the lounge and get my boarding pass there. At SFO I have to exit the secure area and check in at the counter and then go back through security. I do wish NZ participated in pre-check as it does make life a lot easier (and quicker).
#10
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: BNE
Programs: NZ*G, QF Bronze, VA Red
Posts: 563
I strongly suspect that it's threefold - one, they only flew into two cities where it's of benefit (SFO, IAH) and two cost. I guarantee you TSA requires $$$ to participate (which, incidentally, is the reason NZ-the-country refuses to participate in Global Entry) which they don't want to spend. Third would be that NZ doesn't really target the US market as a source at all - they're hyper-active in Australia and New Zealand (both countries where citizens are ineligible for Global Entry and by extension PreCheck) but have no real marketing presence in the US and UK.
With the expansion to ORD later this year, they may review this decision, but I wouldn't hold my breath (and to be honest as a shareholder if it incurs a major cost I would be questioning the investment).
With the expansion to ORD later this year, they may review this decision, but I wouldn't hold my breath (and to be honest as a shareholder if it incurs a major cost I would be questioning the investment).
#11
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: YYZ/SFO/AKL
Programs: NZ*G, back of the bus UA, corner of the MLL AC.
Posts: 373
The big problem for me is SFO. I usually book my domestic ticket getting to the international departure separately. At LAX I can just stay in the secure zone and head to the lounge and get my boarding pass there. At SFO I have to exit the secure area and check in at the counter and then go back through security. I do wish NZ participated in pre-check as it does make life a lot easier (and quicker).
Also can you not just get a BP at the gate? Or flying AS?
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
No. Global Entry comes with TSA PreCheck. No need to be a US citizen or resident.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SEA
Programs: NZ Elite (*G)
Posts: 657
I typically give myself loads of time when flying to SFO (5 hours at a minimum). I don't mind long layovers as it gives me time to catch up on my work.
#14
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: YYZ/SFO/AKL
Programs: NZ*G, back of the bus UA, corner of the MLL AC.
Posts: 373
Fair, I'm the same - always have an extra connection available before NZ7 - especially now the Centurion lounge is an option.
#15
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,119
If you're flying in BP you also get access to the new Polaris lounge. I know two people who have been there since it opened and both were pretty impressed by it. One said it beat Centurion hands down.