TSA Pre Check: Your experience

[Anonymous]

Used this for the first time this weekend. It was fabulous, no lines at all. But I wonder how much I can count on this. So please post:

Airport, date and time, approximate waiting time. Especially curious if you've had bad experiences.

IAD, Friday 10/24 7 AM No wait

San Antonio, Monday 10/27 230 PM no Wait

[Anonymous]

I did this and have taken 7-8 flights since I got it. I have not gotten TSA pre-check on a SINGLE FLIGHT except for one, when I was traveling with 3 small kids alone, and my assistant called and begged and pleaded with United.

When I did this, I had no idea you weren't guaranteed TSA pre-check whenever TSA pre-check was available. So that's been very frustrated.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I've flown a lot recently plus last year. Getting pre check is random. Sometimes the pre check line wasn't open based on the times I was there so don't arrive late expecting a guaranteed quick trip to the gate.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I always get precheck. Begging with the airline won't help though, they have zero control over precheck. Even if the precheck line isn't open you can bypass the regulars since you're not taking shoes or jacket off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've flown a lot recently plus last year. Getting pre check is random. Sometimes the pre check line wasn't open based on the times I was there so don't arrive late expecting a guaranteed quick trip to the gate.

That's my experience. Don't count on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always get precheck. Begging with the airline won't help though, they have zero control over precheck. Even if the precheck line isn't open you can bypass the regulars since you're not taking shoes or jacket off.

You know you're doomed to not get preCheck next time? That's what you get for calling everyone else "regulars." And, just to note, when you're randomly denied preCheck, you become a "regular": you do have to take off shoes and jacket.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. We haven't signed up for anything, but coming and going last time we flew (two parents and two kids), we got sent to what I guess was the precheck line (told to keep on shoes, not remove liquids or laptops, etc). On the way home, they didn't even look at our boarding passes before sending us to that line. Does anyone know how they decide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. We haven't signed up for anything, but coming and going last time we flew (two parents and two kids), we got sent to what I guess was the precheck line (told to keep on shoes, not remove liquids or laptops, etc). On the way home, they didn't even look at our boarding passes before sending us to that line. Does anyone know how they decide?

You can't count on it being anything more than random (but really maybe they are just looking to even out the lines a bit and a young family traveling together doesn't look too high risk). Again, nothing to count on.

[Anonymous]

I get it every time now. I think it is thru my elite credit card status because I didn't sign up thru TSA

[Anonymous]

My wife is a very frequent flyer with Southwest. She always gets PreCheck. I think frequency must have something to do with it, because I never get it.

[Anonymous]

I always got it until I never got it. Seriously, it's like I fell out of the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always get precheck. Begging with the airline won't help though, they have zero control over precheck. Even if the precheck line isn't open you can bypass the regulars since you're not taking shoes or jacket off.

You know you're doomed to not get preCheck next time? That's what you get for calling everyone else "regulars." And, just to note, when you're randomly denied preCheck, you become a "regular": you do have to take off shoes and jacket.

You also can't really bypass the regulars even if you are keeping your coat and jacket on since it is cutting the line. They don't care what your boarding pass says.