Is TSA PreCheck Worth It To Get Through Airport Security Faster?

If you've ever gotten to the airport with a bit of time to spare, but ended up missing your flight due to an endless security line, you know how frustrating it can be. Anything that can potentially save you time is something worth looking into. Travelers have tried things like having everything organized beforehand, checking a bag and not bringing much through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint, and even continually switching to shorter lines, though that can make you look suspicious. One potential way to save time at security is to join TSA PreCheck. To get this, you can fill out an online application, and then visit an enrollment location for document checks, photos, and fingerprints. Is it worth it, though? As it turns out, it often can be. 

According to the TSA website, 99% of travelers wait less than 10 minutes with PreCheck. Plus, it makes things easier (and faster) in the line because you can keep your electronics and 3-1-1 baggie of liquids in your luggage. You can leave your light jackets, shoes, and belts on as well. You can even opt-in to the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID which uses your face as ID (in participating airports). If you're traveling as a family, adults can take kids 17 and under who don't have their own PreCheck membership through with them. TSA PreCheck is also fairly simple to get, costing between around $75 and $85 at the time of writing, and it's good for five years. Once you have it, you add your Known Traveler Number (KTN) when you make reservations or in your airline profiles so it shows up on your boarding pass, allowing you to use the designated PreCheck lane. However, it really comes down to what actual travelers experience.

For some social media users, TSA PreCheck definitely saves time. On TikTok, one flight attendant, @ciciinthesky, touts TSA PreCheck as "the ultimate airport life hack." Flier @itsjenwarnes, who doesn't have PreCheck, did a video where she compared how long it would take her and her husband who does have PreCheck to get through security. He made it through at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in 8:20, while it took her 11:12. In another video, PreCheck user @shelbyreickstravels went through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in eight minutes, while it took a whole 35 minutes for her non-PreCheck having mom. 

However, if you're at one of the over 250 airports that use new CT scanners with better 3D imaging, you may be through security faster than usual anyway, as these scanners don't require travelers to remove as many items from their bags and bodies. In a thread on Reddit's r/tsa about the issue, the OP says, "The lines really aren't that much shorter now. Regular line can keep their shoes on. When the scanners are updated laptops stay in the bag." Commenters on the post, however, are pretty split down the middle about whether PreCheck is still worth it given the new technology.

Ultimately, it may depend on how busy the airports you use the most are. If you're flying into or out of a small one, it may not be worth the money for you. However, if you frequently travel through busy airports, saving even just a few minutes may be the difference between getting on your flight and being left in the dust.