Do You Pre-Check??

From Conde’ Nast:

If you still don’t have TSA PreCheck—meaning, you don’t know how glorious it is to breeze through pre-flight security with your shoes and belt on and laptop safely packed—then maybe this will sway you: For just $85 (covering a five-year membership), your PreCheck will work at more than 180 U.S. airports. And as of yesterday, Air France, Brussels Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and World Atlantic (a Caribbean charter airline) all agreed to recognize the trusted traveler program, the TSA announced, bringing the total number of participating airlines to 47.

Joining the PreCheck club is far from simple: Carriers have to meet all TSA security requirements and upgrade reservations systems to sync with the U.S. government’s Secure Flight prescreening system; after all, as Traveler‘s Barbara Peterson reported, even if you’re an existing TSA PreCheck member, it’s the airline that issues the boarding pass, and it’s that document that displays your PreCheck eligibility to the agent manning the entrance to the checkpoint.

Among those are a few that I use regularly: Alaska Airlines, United, American, Hawaiian, and Singapore.

Bottom line: It saves time, though the rules seem different at each airport. Some require all metal out of your pockets, others require a cell phone, laptop or tablet to be removed. Jackets too! None allow liquids over 90 ml, something that I have “tested” inadvertently, when I forget to toss my water bottle. But remember, you can take an empty bottle through TSA, as well as FROZEN liquids!!!

This certainly makes train travel much easier, and visitor friendly. I can bring a bottle of wine, champagne or beer without fear of confiscation. But overall, I am happy with PreCheck, and encourage you to purchase it as well. pre