Last time I flew I went through the precheck and TSA still singled me out for a random search/scan

YEs, it's only worth it if you travel a lot. I have it with Global Entry ($100 for 5 years = $20/year for both) but I travel 5-10x per year. I've saved hours and hours because of it (factoring in immigration lines too).

I seem to get waved over there pretty frequently (which would annoy me if I had paid). I can see why frequent travelers would do it but otherwise the line is rarely long enough to matter. Also all children under 12 end up in that line...how is that better?

My wife is a frequent flyer and often gets pre-check because of that (she never registered for it). When I fly with her, I have to go throgh the cattle car line, but honestly, she never has to wait more than a few minutes for me. I don't need to pay anything to save five minutes.

I am not some super busy important person. In the last six years I've flown twice. One of those times I just walked right through every line there was - didn't have to wait at all.

If I were some super busy person who flew a lot for work and pleasure I might reconsider. My sister flies a lot - sometimes more than once a month in some months.

Anonymous wrote:$85 for 5 years = $17/year.

Even if I only traveled once per year it would be worth the money for me.

Do you have a lot in savings/brokerage? I ask because my friends who are into TSA preheck are big spenders. They also travel infrequently and my husband and I find it funny they have paid for TSA precheck!

$17 / year times the number of people in your family.

For some people, this may not either be worth it or affordable.

$85 for 5 years = $17/year.

Even if I only traveled once per year it would be worth the money for me.

Isn't it expensive for the benefit if you don't travel frequently?

Love, love, love Global Entry.

It's amazing how happy I get when I don't have to take off my shoes or pull out my laptop.

Certain American Express cards (i.e. Platinum) will reimburse you for Global Entry too.

I fly all the time and randomly get pre-check. Plus when you don't fly at peak times the lines rarely are bad. Frankly just haven't had a need.

What is this TSA precheck you speak of?

You have to give up more information, and some people are uncomfortable with that. I have Precheck as part of Global Entry, so they interviewed me and also have my fingerprints on file.

Because the TSA has not demonstrated themselves to be anything other than a khafkaesque bureaucracy investing billions in efforts that are described by independent experts as "security theater." I see no reason to trust them with more information then they already have.

I still see so many people in long airport lines. Why have people chosen not to do precheck?