As reported by Airfare Watchdog and The Points Guy, the TSA recently added 5 more airlines to their Pre-Check program. These airlines are Air France, Brussels Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and World Atlantic. This brings the total number of participating airlines to 47.
TSA Pre-Check travelers get to leave on their shoes, light jackets, and belts as they go through security screening. They also get to keep their computers and acceptable liquids in their bags, without needing to remove them and put them in a bin. Per the TSA, in January 2018, 94% of TSA Pre-Check passengers waited less than 5 minutes before entering security. With how tough travel is and how long security lines have become, this is absolutely one of my favorite travel programs. Pre-Check is available at 200 airports in the United States, and you can check here to see if your local airport participates.
To apply for TSA Pre-Check, you must be a United States Citizen or national, fill out an application, pay an $85 fee, and select a time and location for an in-person interview to determine if you are qualified. If granted, Pre-Check membership lasts 5 years.
While $85 may seem like a bargain to speed through airport security for 5 years, you may not even have to pay it! Many premium credit cards, such as the Platinum Card from American Express, give an application fee credit for TSA Pre-Check (and Global Entry). Simply pay your application fee on your Platinum card, and it will be reimbursed on your next billing cycle.
You can apply for the Platinum Card from American Express here, with an introductory offer of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $5,000 in your first 3 months as a card member. As a Platinum Card member, you get 5 points per dollar when purchasing directly with airlines, and a slew of other amazing benefits. Your mileage and offer may vary, so if you don’t see that offer, try using an incognito window.
It’s nice to see this getting expanded, especially on useful airlines who fly directly to Europe from the United States. And with both the Star Alliance and SkyTeam Alliance covered, there are now even more options to use your miles to get to Europe and still get to skip the security lines. It’s nice to see some good news in the airline industry!
Michael Prodanovich is a contributor to Point Me to the Plane, and author of The Ultimate Guide to Free Travel
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
4 comments
Airfare Watchdog? Thought they were kaput. There are no posts on their app, no response to inquiries, no response to Tweets. I would not put much stock in Airfare Watchdog.
Maybe, but TPG is pretty legit still.
I find that World Atlantic, an airine whose only business is a contract with DHS to fly deportation flights to offer PreCheck completely ironic and hilarious.
[…] TSA Adds 5 New Airlines to Pre-Check Program. – It’s hard to believe that airlines still aren’t on this platform, but then you look at the new additions and realize that they are international carriers. Still, it’s a good thing that they’re on the list for when you want to depart on one of their flights to an international destination. […]