Here are the most frequently asked questions to help you learn how to participate and receive expedited screening benefits.
Q. How can someone sign up to participate?
A. Currently, only those passengers who opt-in will have the opportunity to volunteer to participate.
Participating airlines will permit some of their frequent flyers, based on TSA criteria, to opt-in through the airline’s system. Participating airlines have contacted eligible frequent travelers with an invitation to opt-in. Once the passenger opts in, the airline identifies the individual as a participant when submitting the passenger reservation information to TSA’s Secure Flight system.
Current members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Global Entry, SENTRI or NEXUS programs are already eligible to participate in the TSA Pre✓™ concept if they are flying on a participating airline at a participating airport. Those passengers need to place their PASS ID in the ‘Known Traveler Number’ field while booking their reservation. Interested passengers who are not eligible through their airline and are not already a member of a CBP Trusted Traveler program may still be able to opt-in to TSA Pre✓™ by applying for one of the CBP eligible programs. Click here to learn more: globalentry.gov.
Q. What do participants need to do?
A. Members of a CBP Trusted Traveler program are assigned a membership number, or PASS ID, as part of their Trusted Traveler program. To participate in TSA Pre✓™, these passengers must place their PASS ID, located in their account online or on the back of their membership card in the top-left corner, in the ‘Known Traveler’ field while booking their reservation. Trusted Traveler program members should also remember to enter their full name, date of birth, and PASS ID exactly as it appears on their membership card. That number is then passed to TSA’s Secure Flight system and taken into consideration during prescreening processing.
Participating airlines will permit some of their frequent travelers, based on TSA criteria, to opt-in through the airline’s system. Participating airlines have contacted eligible frequent travelers with an invitation to opt-in. Once the passenger opts-in, the airline identifies the individual as a participant when submitting the passenger reservation information to TSA’s Secure Flight system.
Global Entry Members: Learn how to find your membership number.
Q. Can passengers access TSA Pre✓™ for international travel?
A. No. At this time, TSA Pre✓™ is only available for passengers traveling domestically on participating airlines. If any leg of an itinerary is international, the passenger will not qualify for TSA Pre✓™ for that itinerary and will go through traditional screening.
Q. Where is TSA Pre✓™ available?
A. Certain frequent travelers from Alaska, American, Delta, United and US Airways and certain members of CBP's Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS, who are U.S. citizens, are eligible to participate in this program, which could qualify them for expedited screening at select checkpoints with the following airlines:
Alaska Airlines – Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, George Bush Intercontinental, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Logan International, Miami International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National and Seattle-Tacoma International airports
American Airlines – Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, Indianapolis International, John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, Lambert-St. Louis International, Logan International, Las Vegas’ McCarran International, Los Angeles International, Miami International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, Salt Lake City International, Seattle-Tacoma International and Washington Dulles International airports
Delta Air Lines – Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Indianapolis International, LaGuardia Airport, Las Vegas’ McCarran, Logan International, Los Angeles International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Orlando International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Salt Lake City International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Tampa International and Washington Dulles International airports
United Airlines – Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Denver International, George Bush Intercontinental, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Indianapolis International, Los Angeles International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Newark Liberty International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Seattle-Tacoma International and Washington Dulles International airports
US Airways – Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Denver International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Indianapolis International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Philadelphia International, Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Salt Lake International, Seattle-Tacoma International and Washington Dulles International airports
Building on its initial success, TSA plans to continue expanding TSA Pre✓™ to include additional airlines, as well as airports that participate in CBP’s Global Entry program, once operationally ready.
Q. Will this be at every checkpoint in participating airports?
A. No. Eligible passengers who have opted into TSA Pre✓™ should use specific checkpoints designated for expedited screening. can use the following checkpoints to be considered for expedited screening:
View Locations in a larger map
Q. Will participants know in advance that they have been cleared for expedited screening?
A. No. If the agency determines a passenger is eligible for expedited screening through TSA Pre✓™, information will be embedded in the barcode of the passenger’s boarding pass. TSA will read the barcode at designated checkpoints and the passenger may be referred to an expedited screening lane.
TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening.
Q. Are travel companions eligible for TSA Pre✓™ as well?
A. Passengers that do not meet the necessary requirements are not eligible to participate at this time; however, passengers 12 and younger are eligible for TSA Pre✓™ expedited screening benefits as part of our modified screening procedures for this age group.
Q. What will TSA do as part of the “pre-screening” of participants?
A. For security reasons, TSA cannot provide specifics about screening procedures. Volunteered participant information is used to make an intelligence-driven risk assessment that could allow some travelers to qualify for expedited screening.
Q. If a passenger in the selected participation pool “opts out” will they be subjected to more screening?
A. No. Passengers in the pre-determined population selected for TSA Pre✓™ who choose not to participate will undergo standard TSA screening procedures. Additionally, TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport.
Q. Will participants get a membership card or something to show they have been cleared for expedited screening?
A. No. Passengers who volunteer will be pre-screened each time they fly. TSA always incorporates random and unpredictable screening measures throughout the airport and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening.