TSA Pre for elderly folks
Jul 5, 2019, 5:59 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: San Jose, CA
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Premier Gold, Krisflyer, Global Entry
Posts: 9
TSA Pre for elderly folks
Not sure whether this is the right place for this question but recently I took a flight on Southwest from SJC to SAN with my elderly parents. I have Global Entry but my parents do not. My parents also received TSA Pre and my question is whether they got TSA Pre because of their age or because I have Global Entry and they got TSA Pre because of me? Any explanation would be helpful.
Jul 5, 2019, 6:39 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
Jul 6, 2019, 12:02 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 35
Pre is randomly granted to just about anyone with a flying history. But if anyone is over 75 well read it here https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-p...s-75-and-older
Jul 6, 2019, 12:46 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: SW Comp Pass, Lft Gold AA, Lft DIA HHONORS, National Exec Elite
Posts: 232
I actually do see my wife get TSA pre often when we are on the same reservation number. I am global entry as well. It’s too frequent to be just random. I can almost count on it happening.
Jul 6, 2019, 2:15 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: San Jose, CA
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Premier Gold, Krisflyer, Global Entry
Posts: 9
Jul 6, 2019, 2:15 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: ATL
Posts: 1,908
Jul 6, 2019, 3:42 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
We are old. I have paid for pre-check. My wife gets it 60-70% regardless of whether she is flying with me or not. As she puts it, 'I get the Midwest Gramma exemption, why should I pay for it?' TSA knows how old you are. So far, I don't think we have had any old terrorists.
Jul 7, 2019, 6:13 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
FWIW - just because it is "random" does not really mean the chance is really random.
Jul 7, 2019, 6:46 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,500
I can't imagine DHS would disclose its software is coded for elderly TSA Pre✓. Every 75 year-old would expect it and "random and unpredictable" remain cardinal maxims. I see fewer mobility devices, not more, in Pre✓ lanes in rush hour. But YMMV.
Jul 7, 2019, 11:31 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
My Mom gets Pre and she has no GE and is 65. My Father and I have GE and get Pre 100 percent of the time. For me I am almost 35 and before the GE I was getting TSA Pre almost 100 percent of the time without paying for it on all airlines. I guess flight history has a lot to do with it. I have Frequent Flier Accounts with all the airlines I fly and I fly often enough to have a good flight history.
