TSA PreCheck can be worth its weight in gold. While the “regular” queue at the TSA security check can be 30, 45, 60 or even more minutes on a busy day, In April 2023, 89% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than 5 minutes.
89% is a good percentage but have you noticed that as more people get PreCheck, that number keeps going down? In fact, a year ago, 94% of people with PreCheck waited 5 minutes or less. Not coincidentally, the lines for TSA PreCheck were a lot shorter back then, too.
Expect that line to get significantly longer, travel friends.
The TSA already grants a few groups of people free TSA Precheck:
- Active members of the U.S. military (retired military personnel, veterans and first responders do not. Here’s why)
- Children under 12 can go through the PreCheck line with a parent or guardian who has PreCheck, if they’re on the same reservation
Add one more group to that list – instead of kids 12 and under, the TSA has just announced that passengers aged 13 through 17 can accompany their parent or guardian through the PreCheck lane, as well.
“Teenagers aged 13-17 may now accompany TSA PreCheck enrolled parents or guardians through TSA PreCheck screening when traveling on the same reservation and when the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the teen’s boarding pass,” the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday.
As TSA Administrator David Pekoske said at a summer preview event at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), “This basically covers all minors that are traveling with a parent or guardian in PreCheck.”
Allowing kids up to age 17 to go through the same line will allow families to keep their group together during the airport screening process.
Kids age 13-17 will go through the PreCheck line the same way kids age 12 and under did – as long as their parent or guardian has their KTN on their boarding pass or reservation, their kids can go with them.
Kids age 17 and under still can’t go through the PreCheck line alone, unless they have their own PreCheck membership.
The TSA says they’re ready for the longer lines created by extra kids in the queue, as well as the typical influx of summer travelers.
“TSA is ready to handle this summer’s anticipated increase in travel. Our staffing levels are better and this is largely due to better pay for all TSA employees which starts on July 1st,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
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1 comment
How about letting Seniors, age 70+ to use TSA PreCheck free?