The process of waiting in a long airport security line is a drag for anyone. But if you have kids with you in that “long boring line,” it’s worse by several orders of magnitude. Multiply that by a million if your kids are overtired and just done with travel by that point in the trip.
Once you get through the line and arrive at the actual screening area, you still need to sprout octopus arms to hold your kid(s), take off your shoes, take the liquids out of your bag, remove any coats or belts, take the laptop out of your bag, fold up the stroller, get milk/formula/juice out for inspection, and on and on.
Thankfully, there is a solution to many of these issues.
With TSA PreCheck, your family can use a dedicated lane for screening that is not only generally quicker than the standard line but has the added benefits of keeping your shoes on, laptops and tablets in their places and 3-1-1 compliant liquids in carry-on bags. This is always a win, but an especially huge help when traveling with kids. You also get to go through the walk-through metal detector instead of the body scanner. That’s standard when traveling with little kids, but it is an extra perk for PreCheck even when you’re without your kids.
Where does TSA PreCheck work?
TSA PreCheck qualifies you for expedited screening on both domestic and international flights, with more than 85 airlines currently offering TSA PreCheck expedited screening lanes.
Once you enroll in TSA PreCheck (or Global Entry), you’ll get a Trusted Traveler number. Here’s how to add your Trusted Traveler number to your profile for each airline that participates in TSA PreCheck screening.
To use all of your PreCheck benefits, you need to use specific TSA PreCheck lines that are limited in location and operating hours at some airports, so pay attention to signage or ask for directions to the PreCheck line.
How do I sign up for TSA PreCheck?
You can apply online for TSA PreCheck or apply for one of Customs and Border Patrol’s (CBP) other entry programs, like Global Entry, SENTRI or NEXUS, which also confer TSA PreCheck privileges.
Related: Top Credit Cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
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The online application process for these programs will only take a few minutes to complete, but you will then need to schedule an in-person appointment at an enrollment center for a background check and fingerprinting. If you don’t plan to apply for Global Entry or any of the other CBP programs, you can apply separately for TSA PreCheck and likely have your choice of more enrollment centers and a much faster appointment time.
Do kids need TSA PreCheck?
Children of all ages are eligible to apply for TSA PreCheck — or have it conferred by having Global Entry or similar. But unlike Global Entry, children 17 and under can often piggyback through the TSA PreCheck lines with their guardian.
It’s been a standard operating procedure that children aged 12 and under who are traveling with a parent or guardian who has the TSA PreCheck indicator on their boarding pass can join their parent/guardian in the TSA PreCheck lane without applying for the program.
The TSA also recently announced that children between the ages of 13 and 17 traveling on the same reservation with an eligible parent or guardian with TSA PreCheck may also access the PreCheck lane, but only if the teen’s boarding pass has the TSA PreCheck indicator.
The main difference here is that children age 13 to 17 may be randomly excluded from receiving the TSA PreCheck indicator and will then have to go through the standard security line. Be sure you check your boarding pass — and your children’s — every time you fly so you don’t accidentally get in the wrong lane.
Also note that if you have Clear, a for-fee privatized security lane at airports and other public places like stadiums, your kids 18 and under can use Clear with you for free. (And some Clear lines are specifically for those with PreCheck).
The best credit card for PreCheck
The application fee for a five-year membership to TSA PreCheck is $78 per person. However, you don’t necessarily have to pay cash from your own pocket. Many credit cards will cover the application fee for TSA PreCheck (or Global Entry- Up to $100) as a member benefit. If you have an eligible card, just charge the application fee to that card and you’ll get a statement credit to cover the cost. Some cards that offer this benefit include:
If you have multiple eligible cards, you can use different cards to pay for different family members’ application fees and have them reimbursed. Just remember to keep track of which family member uses what reimbursement benefit since you’ll want to use that credit again in four or five years when you need to re-enroll. Here are tips to keep track of your credit cards’ Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits.
You can also use 11,000 United MileagePlus miles to cover the application fee, though frankly, taking advantage of a credit card’s application fee benefit is the better choice.
Related: How we saved $400 in PreCheck/Global entry fees
How do I know if I am approved to use PreCheck?
If you have PreCheck for your flight, it will be printed on your boarding pass. Even if you are approved for the program, you won’t necessarily get approved for expedited screening for every single flight. However, your odds of using it should be pretty good if you follow a few key steps.
TSA PreCheck is located to the right of the United logo on this boarding pass. BRIAN BIROS/THE POINTS GUY
First, you need to make sure that the name on your ticket and/or frequent flyer account matches exactly the name on your government Trusted Traveler account. If your names aren’t exactly the same, you may not get to use PreCheck on a given flight. You also need to be sure that your Known Traveler number is included on your reservation and/or in your frequent flyer account.
Here are some tips if you have TSA PreCheck but it isn’t displaying on your boarding pass.
Bottom line
Having or not having TSA PreCheck when traveling with a family is a difference between night and day.
With so many credit cards now covering the TSA PreCheck application fee as a cardholder benefit, it’s worth it to enroll yourself, your partner and any kids ages 12 and up in this program. Even if you have to pay the $78 fee out of pocket, that is more than worth it for five years of a much-improved security screening process for your family.
Here’s more advice about expedited airport screening:
Additional reporting by Tarah Chieffi.
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