Been through airport security lately? If you’re a card carrying member of either the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry program, you’ll be skipping your way down an uncrowded security lane and easily on your way to your flight.  But, unfortunately, that’s not been the experience of many travelers over the past few weeks.  Increased scrutiny of bags, terror alerts, budget cuts and lack of TSA personnel is creating a real hassle for air travelers. Exceptionally long security lines have been seen snaking out the doors of airports making air travel a misery, not only for passengers who are missing flights after waiting up to 3 hours in line, but also for the airlines who try to accommodate late travelers and delay flights causing issues with connections.  From what we are hearing, the government and the airlines are working together to come up with logical, workable solutions, but inconvenient lines seem to be the rule rather than the exception these days.

If you travel even once or twice a year, it might be worthwhile to go online and apply for the TSA PreCheck or the Global Entry program. TSA PreCheck is great for domestic travelers and the Global Entry program works best if you plan to travel internationally as well as domestically.  With the current security environment, even travel agents are encouraging their customers to sign up to avoid potential nightmares of missed flights and re-bookings.  The Global Entry program is perfect for international travelers as members use specialized computers in the Customs and Border Protection area upon arrival, avoiding the long lines at Customs. An added bonus for Global Entry members is that they are automatically members of the TSA PreCheck program when traveling in the U.S.  The fee for the TSA PreCheck program is $85, but for just $15 more ($100) you can apply for Global Entry privileges.  TSA PreCheck is currently available at over 160 domestic airports and offered by 12 airlines (Air Canada, Alaska Air, Allegiant, American, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, Sun Country, United, Virgin America and WestJet).  Global Entry is an international program, so there are a multitude of participating airports and airlines throughout the world. Visit these websites for full details and applications:  https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck or  https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes

The application and vetting process for approval is not instantaneous.  It may take a few weeks or longer to schedule your in-person interview and obtain final approval.  Plan ahead and make your membership application long before your next flight.  Once approved, you will receive a new photo ID membership card and a Known Traveler Number (“KTN”) to be used when making flight reservations.  So, the next time you find yourself getting ready to go through security, hopefully you’ll be able to present your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry ID card, your boarding pass with “TSA PreCheck” noted on the front and flow swiftly through the special PreCheck lane. You’ll be on your flight in no time without removing shoes, light belts, 3-1-1 liquids, light coats or laptops, on time and off to your next getaway vacation.