There are several threads on this from a few months ago when the system was introduced at IAD. Those were all merged and perhaps this one will be as well.

Most people who have experienced it at IAD and elsewhere, find that it moves the process significantly faster and also does not require a BP as the name match links to those with same tickets from IAD.

As reported earlier, in practice this has been a good thing for flyers. I'm all for improved technology that speeds up the line.

It's not only potentially a timesaver but a security enhancement as well.

1) If passengers need valid secure flight data then you can't fake a boarding pass. Boarding passes issued digitally (print at home/mobile phone) have to be digitally signed for carriers offering Precheck, but carriers who don't offer precheck or boarding passes printed at kiosks are not digitally signed and could be tampered with (depends on the airline; Westjet signs kiosk printed boarding passes, while United kiosk printed boarding passes lack a digital signature). These machines check secure flight data which is ticketing data sent to TSA, so the person has to have a valid ticket, regardless of carrier.

2) The check of the ID, if a high resolution imaging device is used, could check for security features too small to be seen easily by the naked eye or not visible to the naked eye, and potentially throw a warning.

One is obvious, two may or may not be part of the reason for the implementation.

EDIT: Looks like it probably does:
Guess that's what the ID = Normal thing is in the Flickr screenshot of it (pic posted by user Wayan on this thread, at the top of page 4).

Security enhancement yes but timesaver, not quite sure. Seems like it takes a while for it to pull the itin up when I was at CLT yesterday.

Two passengers in front of me used US passport and it took 3-5 seconds for them to be processed. Seems to take same amount of time with traditional checks assuming passenger had both BP and IDs available.

When it came to my turn, I presented NEXUS card. ID checker inserted into credit card sized scanner. Took about 7-10 seconds before ID checker asked to see my BP. Not sure if system got confused it was NEXUS card or I flew FRA-CLT and my remaining flight is CLT-EWR.

Anyone know any other airports these are at or if they plan on rolling it out to more anytime soon? So far I am seeing AUS, CLT, ORD, DCA, and IAD.

I haven't encountered the new ID checker yet but I wager it's going to depend on the TDC. The faster ones with a cell phone boarding pass (since they don't have to use a pen to circle name/date/departure airport on those) would typically get you through in 4 seconds.

Paper boarding pass or ones giving more scrutiny... I've had ID checks by TDCs take more than 10 seconds.

As far as time per passenger, I think if it can match the name uniquely it's probably pretty fast, if it can't match a passenger name uniquely from the ID then they have to disambiguate on the screen (e.g. differences between name on ID versus name on boarding pass).

I used an ID scanner at BOS this morning. (More accurately - it was used on my driver's license.) Thanks to Wayan for the photo from IAD; can anyone answer what populates the DOB onto the screen, the ID or the reservation? Obviously it's on both my license and on my FF account, but is that what's being compared? I assume the reservation populates everything on the screen and TSA only compares that against the scanned ID. I've got a round number bday in 3 weeks and I'm starting to not want everyone to know about it. (Except you guys, of course!)

Portland (PDX) no need to show BP in PreCheck (new technology test)
 

Didn't see a discussion about this. Passed through PDX (Portland, OR) on the D/E side Precheck lane last Sunday.I was already checked in with a both an electronic BP and a backup paper BP. There was a sign stating that the TSA were trying a new piece of technology. The clerk slid my passport into a scanner, got a green light along with some illegible (from my angle) information on a small LCD screen attached to the scanner. I never had to show any form of BP. The whole process was pretty slow, something in the order of 10s from inserting the card to getting the green light. Any other trials going on and any idea if this technology will one day be rolled out nationally? If the speed can be improved, it seems like it might make travel a little easier, and as a bonus you don't get clerks scribbling all over your BP...

Moderator's Action
 

Hello @timfountain,

That technology has been undergoing real world trials at several airports for about a year.

I've merged your post into the thread discussing it in the Trusted Travelers forum.

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

Any idea if it will show up at other airports soon?

Assuming this is the same one implemented in coordination with CBP, the privacy impact statement says it only remains on the tablet until the next passenger arrives, or two minutes, then is wiped clean.

ID scans at PDX PreCheck today, no BP required to be shown
 

They've switched to a new system where your ID is scanned in a machine (something akin to a ticket reader at a parking garage). No BP needed to be shown. It even accepted my Global Entry card (I don't use my DL when flying for fear of leaving it someone by accident).

A quick search didn't turn up anything. I was just in PDX a month ago and they were still scanning BPs then.

Anyone have more info?

I seen the machine at CLT, BOS, LAX. however at CLT the agent made a remark that it didn't want to take my card however he clicked a green button i think and he told me that i could continue

New ID scans for PreCheck at AA checkpoints