A record number of U.S. airline passengers are leaving their belts on and getting through TSA screening faster, with PreCheck membership surpassing 15 million.
The Transportation Security Administration also reports another PreCheck record. On Feb. 21, more than 19,200 individuals applied for PreCheck membership, the highest for any single day in the program’s history.
More than 32 million travelers are now enrolled in PreCheck, Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry, and other federal vetting programs.
“TSA PreCheck is one of the most innovative, efficient and effective risk-based security solutions in the agency’s 21-year history, providing the shared benefits of shorter wait times of under 10 minutes, grater checkpoint efficiency and improved security,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
Applying for PreCheck requires a brief, in person interview. In the D.C. area, there are enrollment centers at both Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport, as well as almost two-dozen other locations, many inside Staples stores.
A new PreCheck membership costs $78 for five years. Most applicants gel their Known Traveler Number in three to five days. Children ages 12 or younger traveling with a parent or guardian with PreCheck can join them. Some credit cards have TSA PreCheck benefits.
Benefits to PreCheck include passing through checkpoints without taking shoes or belts off, and there is often a dedicated line for PreCheck passengers. TSA says 92% of PreCheck members wait less than five minutes at security checkpoints.
PreCheck is currently available at more than 200 airports.
PreCheck is increasingly losing one of its advantages, with TSA installing more sophisticated CT scanners at airports and increasingly not requiring electronics or liquids to be removed from carry-ons.
For all travelers, the number of screening false alarms that lead to passenger pat downs by TSA agents may be reduced soon. Reston, Virginia-based Leidos was recently awarded a contract to update its screening machines with artificial intelligence software expected to reduce false risk alerts.
