TSA Precheck In Reality
#61
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Most recent case was a colleague who usually flies UA. She had enrolled in pre-check via UA and always gets pre-check when flying UA. Then she also enrolled through TSA and got a KTN. On Wednesday she flew AA and entered her KTN is the reservation. She even called AA ahead of time to make sure the KTN was in the record. She copied her name and DOB directly off her TSA enrollment info. She did not get pre-check in this case.
Their responses indicate that if you DM them your name and PNR info, they'll address it. There have been replies from people indicating that someone actually did sort the problem out between the time the pax checked in and the time they took their flight.
As others have noted, it seems unlikely, but she should compare the info in her UA profile with the info in her AA profile. It is possible that there's a typo or 'inconsistent' information somewhere.
#62
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I got GE in April of last year. Since then I've only missed Precheck on my BPs on one trip, and it was only on the return portion of it and that's out of probably three dozen trips.
#63
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 11
Returning home from EWR, Terminal C/United. Pre-check was upstairs from the regular line. More people than I'd ever seen in Pre but took less than 10 minutes. 4 pass checkers, four bag xrays, two metal detectors. Very quick and courteous.
#64
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That is the key to Pre-Check. People whine about the length of the line, but that is irrelevant. Pre-Check can process 7-8 passengers for every mere mortal. Thus, a Pre-Check line which is 7 times the length of the steerage line will get you through the checkpoint at the same time.
#65
Join Date: Sep 2014
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That is the key to Pre-Check. People whine about the length of the line, but that is irrelevant. Pre-Check can process 7-8 passengers for every mere mortal. Thus, a Pre-Check line which is 7 times the length of the steerage line will get you through the checkpoint at the same time.
#66
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
I hope this continues to stay true. One of the problems with CATSA (Canadian equivalent of TSA Pre-check) is that all the newer newbie agents are first stationed at these "trusted traveler" lines to gain experience - I imagine "trusted travelers" are less hassle and if a newer newbie agent makes a mistake it would be less of a security breach. What ends up happening is that these lines end up moving slower than the regular lines, not because of the passengers, but because of the staff!
#67
Join Date: May 2017
Location: ORD
Posts: 369
I have been interested for a while in joining TSA Precheck although I did have questions:
1) What is the success rate getting TSA Precheck on your boarding pass? I have been a little weary in joining since it seems that if you join it only seems to increase the chance to use Precheck not really have it 100% of the time.
2) Are the TSA Precheck lines always short?
3) Are there any other issues with TSA Precheck that doesn't make it worth buying?
I finally want to make a jump on joining since I was almost late due to a long security line in Reno (about a month ago) and I saw that they had a Precheck line opened (3-4 agents staffing the lane) and about a couple of people went through fairly quickly while the regular line was about 40-50 minutes long. I barely made that flight, in fact they closed the door right after I went through Phew!
Thanks in advance.
P.S. Although I know that Global Entry is only $85 more, I don't want to spend the extra money since all of my international travel is always with someone who doesn't have GE.
1) What is the success rate getting TSA Precheck on your boarding pass? I have been a little weary in joining since it seems that if you join it only seems to increase the chance to use Precheck not really have it 100% of the time.
2) Are the TSA Precheck lines always short?
3) Are there any other issues with TSA Precheck that doesn't make it worth buying?
I finally want to make a jump on joining since I was almost late due to a long security line in Reno (about a month ago) and I saw that they had a Precheck line opened (3-4 agents staffing the lane) and about a couple of people went through fairly quickly while the regular line was about 40-50 minutes long. I barely made that flight, in fact they closed the door right after I went through Phew!
Thanks in advance.
P.S. Although I know that Global Entry is only $85 more, I don't want to spend the extra money since all of my international travel is always with someone who doesn't have GE.
2) No, but they move fast, and they're always shorter than the general security line. The only issue I've run into with a long and slow-moving line was flying out of PHX, when there were a lot of people without PreCheck trying to go through the PreCheck line for some reason.
3) I can't think of a single one.
As for GE, we've flown internationally 4 times in the past two years, and each time, clearing immigration and customs using the kiosk has been so quick, I wouldn't dream of paying for GE.
#68
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Moderator's Action
A recent post asking about senior citizens with foreign passports receiving PreCheck designations on their boarding passes was moved to the following thread:
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
#69
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Baltimore, MD (BWI/IAD)
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Posts: 347
Question, since the TSA site is light on details: We don't have to take out 3-1-1 liquids, according to the website. Do we need to still have them bagged in that manner? Should we still do it anyway, just in case?
#70
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Continental OnePass
Posts: 856
Yes, I believe you do. And even if not, its probably good to do it that way anyway, for example, what if the precheck lane is closed.
#71
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: US of A
Programs: Delta Diamond, United 1K, BA Blue, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 1,775
I am frequently at airports that have CLEAR and my experience at those locations was sufficiently disappointing that I decided that it was worth getting CLEAR on top of Pre. Make of that what you will.
#72
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
1) Mine is 100% when traveling on airlines that were participating in PreCheck at the time. What's enormously helpful is if you add your TTN to all of your frequent flyer accounts so it's automatically populated when you buy your ticket.
2) No, but they move fast, and they're always shorter than the general security line. The only issue I've run into with a long and slow-moving line was flying out of PHX, when there were a lot of people without PreCheck trying to go through the PreCheck line for some reason.
3) I can't think of a single one.
As for GE, we've flown internationally 4 times in the past two years, and each time, clearing immigration and customs using the kiosk has been so quick, I wouldn't dream of paying for GE.
2) No, but they move fast, and they're always shorter than the general security line. The only issue I've run into with a long and slow-moving line was flying out of PHX, when there were a lot of people without PreCheck trying to go through the PreCheck line for some reason.
3) I can't think of a single one.
As for GE, we've flown internationally 4 times in the past two years, and each time, clearing immigration and customs using the kiosk has been so quick, I wouldn't dream of paying for GE.
#73
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 245
For some travelers, the nearest location for a Global Entry interview may be many hours farther than the nearest Pre enrollment site. Also, tens of millions of Americans have an arrest record or misdemeanor conviction that will disqualify them from GE but not Pre.
#74
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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#75
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New York
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Posts: 1,079
When I had it and tried at HPN, it provided no value, and when I tried it at IAH (which no longer as clear), I found it had value once out of 30+ times at Terminal A, and zero times at the United Terminals over Pre alone.