TSA Precheck [BA participation]
Nov 29, 2018, 9:37 am
#541
Join Date: May 2017
Location: ORD
Posts: 369
What's the current state of affairs at ORD T5? I understand there's no PreCheck at T5 and that it may be possible to use the PreCheck at T3, but I'm not particularly interested in going to T5 to check bags and get a BP, taking the landside shuttle bus to T3, going through security, and then taking the airside shuttle bus back to T5.
Nov 29, 2018, 9:39 am
#542
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The value of PreCheck is also the speed with which the line moves. It is estimated that PreCheck processes 6-7 passengers for every passenger processed by a standard line. That may be a combination of the use of magnetometers rather than slower machines as well as the relative sophistication of the passengers and the fact that they are hauling less out of their bags.
Nov 29, 2018, 9:50 am
#543
Join Date: May 2017
Location: ORD
Posts: 369
The value of PreCheck is also the speed with which the line moves. It is estimated that PreCheck processes 6-7 passengers for every passenger processed by a standard line. That may be a combination of the use of magnetometers rather than slower machines as well as the relative sophistication of the passengers and the fact that they are hauling less out of their bags.
Nov 29, 2018, 10:30 am
#544
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
What's the current state of affairs at ORD T5? I understand there's no PreCheck at T5 and that it may be possible to use the PreCheck at T3, but I'm not particularly interested in going to T5 to check bags and get a BP, taking the landside shuttle bus to T3, going through security, and then taking the airside shuttle bus back to T5.
The biggest issue with going to T3 after you check in and drop your baggage is the ATS is shut down Monday-Friday and there have been issues with the shuttle busses serving as its replacement (wait times for a bus > 1 hour). So you may want to just deal with T5 security.
Nov 29, 2018, 10:33 am
#545
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: BA BAEC Gold (oW Emerald), AF/KLM FB Plat (ST E+), *Alliance Nada
Posts: 299
Nov 29, 2018, 11:38 am
#547
Join Date: May 2017
Location: ORD
Posts: 369
The biggest issue with going to T3 after you check in and drop your baggage is the ATS is shut down Monday-Friday and there have been issues with the shuttle busses serving as its replacement (wait times for a bus > 1 hour). So you may want to just deal with T5 security.
I'm going to choose to be optimistic about them opening a Pre lane at T5 in the next 6 months or so.
Nov 29, 2018, 1:57 pm
#548
Join Date: May 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 456
TSA PRE in ORD T5
What's the current state of affairs at ORD T5? I understand there's no PreCheck at T5 and that it may be possible to use the PreCheck at T3, but I'm not particularly interested in going to T5 to check bags and get a BP, taking the landside shuttle bus to T3, going through security, and then taking the airside shuttle bus back to T5.
Nov 29, 2018, 6:55 pm
#550
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: SAV/HHH
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold (current GGL), HH Diamond
Posts: 1,293
Still TSA PRE Lite, but a very short queue, as I’m on the 23:15 flight.
I didn’t chance it with the mobile BP as they were still manually stamping BPs to allow you to go through the metal detector. The TSA Agent checking BPs was keeping a manual written log, I assume to count PRE BPs....just recorded my flight number on list.
Now in CCR....but quietly wishing I was at ORD to personally witness the squalor.
I didn’t chance it with the mobile BP as they were still manually stamping BPs to allow you to go through the metal detector. The TSA Agent checking BPs was keeping a manual written log, I assume to count PRE BPs....just recorded my flight number on list.
Now in CCR....but quietly wishing I was at ORD to personally witness the squalor.
Nov 29, 2018, 9:08 pm
#551
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
For me the value is absolutely in not having to remove my shoes or belt, not having to remove computers from my carry-on, being able to send small toothpaste tubes without scrutiny, (when I used it and assuming I need to use it again in the future) not having my CPAP machine removed and swabbed, etc. It also means my wife can send breast milk through the X-ray machine without causing an international incident (they do still need to test it).
But most people look at you like you’re crazy if you take stuff out of your bag as you’re slowing down the queue, so I generally just let TSA decide if they want to do a secondary scan.
Nov 29, 2018, 11:44 pm
#552
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Programs: MyWaitrose, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond & BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,685
Still TSA PRE Lite, but a very short queue, as I’m on the 23:15 flight.
I didn’t chance it with the mobile BP as they were still manually stamping BPs to allow you to go through the metal detector. The TSA Agent checking BPs was keeping a manual written log, I assume to count PRE BPs....just recorded my flight number on list.
Now in CCR....but quietly wishing I was at ORD to personally witness the squalor.
When I went through fast track last week no one was being told what to do if you did have precheck, so everyone just did the usual stuff.
Nov 30, 2018, 7:29 am
#553
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: SAV/HHH
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold (current GGL), HH Diamond
Posts: 1,293
All in all PRE Light was fine. I was through in 2 or 3 minutes...kept shoes on and was sent through metal detector.
Nov 30, 2018, 8:36 am
#554
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Rather than speculating, just use the TSA scheduler on its website. It provides the opening times for full Pre-Check lines by airport, terminal (if applicable) and time slot. Note that it does not include variations from full PreCheck as almost all checkpoints, even at very small stations without PreCheck advertised, do provide some form of Lite.
Also useful because there are constant changes to schedules, so best to check the calendar rather than asking someone to look at what is open today.
https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule
Also useful because there are constant changes to schedules, so best to check the calendar rather than asking someone to look at what is open today.
https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule
Last edited by Often1; Nov 30, 2018 at 3:13 pm
Dec 1, 2018, 3:14 am
#555
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 8
Mobile boarding pass working
Confirming vinnyc's report - flew back from Las Vegas yesterday and got a mobile boarding pass with TSA Pre. The (Android) app did still has a warning that it wasn't available, but then it delivered it anyway.