TSA Pre Check: Your experience

[Anonymous]

We used it last time (Reagan, in August at 0700 ish) an loved it. Have had others tell me they have been denied because their airline wasn't on the list - which makes no sense to me. So apparently at Denver, they deny you if your airline doesn't support it? That being said, before we signed up we were often put into the pre-check line since we travel with an infant.

[Anonymous]

It's absolute BS that you pay $85 and get absolutely no guarantees of how often you'll get Pre-Check. I can understand if your flight is at a time/terminal where the pre-check lines aren't open, but beyond that - what a scam.

Quite the racket the government has going. Charge people money, invade their privacy, and don't even give them the service in return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's absolute BS that you pay $85 and get absolutely no guarantees of how often you'll get Pre-Check. I can understand if your flight is at a time/terminal where the pre-check lines aren't open, but beyond that - what a scam.

Quite the racket the government has going. Charge people money, invade their privacy, and don't even give them the service in return.

I'm annoyed as well -- all under the guise of keeping us all "safe." Come on. I feel like I waived plenty of civil liberties -- just give me what I paid for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have global entry (which includes TSA precheck) and have not gotten precheck status on the last 3 flights -- including an international flight with a short layover in SFO. That randomness alone drives me bonkers. The (United) airline claims there's nothing they can to do change your precheck status. It's really frustrating. Oh, when it worked the first several times, it was great.

You need to put your Known Traveler Number (it's on yoru GlobalEntry card) in the field when you do online check-in. The field is sort of hidden -- look for it closely.

I do this on United and always get pre-check. If I forget to, no pre-check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We used it last time (Reagan, in August at 0700 ish) an loved it. Have had others tell me they have been denied because their airline wasn't on the list - which makes no sense to me. So apparently at Denver, they deny you if your airline doesn't support it?

Yes. The airline has to pay or something. Also, no international airlines are eligible.

So at Denver for example (a United hub), it's unlkely Delta will have pre-check there if they only operate a few flights a day from there. Blame the airline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have global entry (which includes TSA precheck) and have not gotten precheck status on the last 3 flights -- including an international flight with a short layover in SFO. That randomness alone drives me bonkers. The (United) airline claims there's nothing they can to do change your precheck status. It's really frustrating. Oh, when it worked the first several times, it was great.

You need to put your Known Traveler Number (it's on yoru GlobalEntry card) in the field when you do online check-in. The field is sort of hidden -- look for it closely.

I do this on United and always get pre-check. If I forget to, no pre-check.

You can also put it in your profile for Mileage Plus for United. Then you shouldn't have to enter it each time at check-in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have global entry (which includes TSA precheck) and have not gotten precheck status on the last 3 flights -- including an international flight with a short layover in SFO. That randomness alone drives me bonkers. The (United) airline claims there's nothing they can to do change your precheck status. It's really frustrating. Oh, when it worked the first several times, it was great.

You need to put your Known Traveler Number (it's on yoru GlobalEntry card) in the field when you do online check-in. The field is sort of hidden -- look for it closely.

I do this on United and always get pre-check. If I forget to, no pre-check.

You can also put it in your profile for Mileage Plus for United. Then you shouldn't have to enter it each time at check-in.

Note this only works if you're earning on your MP card. In my case, I fly United but earn my miles on another program (also in Star Alliance) so that's why I need to enter it each time.

Still worth it, since I get free lounge access even on domestic flights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used it last time (Reagan, in August at 0700 ish) an loved it. Have had others tell me they have been denied because their airline wasn't on the list - which makes no sense to me. So apparently at Denver, they deny you if your airline doesn't support it?

Yes. The airline has to pay or something. Also, no international airlines are eligible.

So at Denver for example (a United hub), it's unlkely Delta will have pre-check there if they only operate a few flights a day from there. Blame the airline.

Precheck is different from priority security lines run by the airlines.

[Anonymous]

So paying for the Pre-Check doesn't guarantee me anything? I was walking around feeling sooo smug that I was getting it every time I flew and didn't apply/pay. Yuck!

I chalked it up to having a 10+ FF relationship with USAirways, as I never got it when I flew American and used that FF#, when I used my USAirways number.

[Anonymous]

We paid for precheck and have always gotten it. At Dulles, the line isn't much shorter, depending on the time of day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have global entry (which includes TSA precheck) and have not gotten precheck status on the last 3 flights -- including an international flight with a short layover in SFO. That randomness alone drives me bonkers. The (United) airline claims there's nothing they can to do change your precheck status. It's really frustrating. Oh, when it worked the first several times, it was great.

You need to put your Known Traveler Number (it's on yoru GlobalEntry card) in the field when you do online check-in. The field is sort of hidden -- look for it closely.

I do this on United and always get pre-check. If I forget to, no pre-check.

You can also put it in your profile for Mileage Plus for United. Then you shouldn't have to enter it each time at check-in.

Note this only works if you're earning on your MP card. In my case, I fly United but earn my miles on another program (also in Star Alliance) so that's why I need to enter it each time.

Still worth it, since I get free lounge access even on domestic flights.

I'm United MP member, flying United, have the known traveler # stored in my profile, still make sure it's there every time and have flown coach and business. I used to get the precheck every time. Now I haven't gotten it the last 4 times I've flown. Even the United lounge agents can't help. They insist it's random and has nothing to do with United (but they did try to re-enter my known traveler # and re-issue my boarding pass -- several times. And I was denied every time). DH has never been denied. My kids are now about 50/50 whether they get it or not.

[Anonymous]

I fly Jet Blue and always seem to get it. I'm usually traveling solo with a small child. Never registered with anything.

[Anonymous]

Please what is precheck?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband has had global entry for a while now, travels a few times a month, he's always gotten pre-check.

My husband always gets it too. I get it about half the time. Really frustrating when we're traveling together.

Yeah me too. He has status and I don't.

[Anonymous]

I have global entry and get pre check EVERY time. Never not gotten it and it's been nearly 2 years. I do always make sure my known traveler number is in the record when I book. I recall that it has to be in there 24 hours in advance or something like that. For those getting it randomly are you sure your number is in when you book? I have had trouble on Travelocity - no place to enter it- so I have to go to the airline site to enter it afterwards.

Anyway, to the OPs question-I travel every week or two all over the country. Never had a line longer than about 5 mins. Even if the line looks longer it moves faster since people don't have to fool with disrobing and unpacking.