TSA precheck questions

5,567 Views | 42 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by agracer
62strat
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AG
I just filled out the form online, made an appt for 9/6 at a location near my home. I hear the actual appt is only like 10 minutes; fingerprints, background check.

What happens after that? Do I get it right away or does it take a while? I have a flight 10/7, was hoping to be all good by then.

I have the united explorer that reimburses the $85 fee, so I figured why not. Need to get the wife to do it as well though, as I read that you cannot take a spouse if she is not also TSA-pre, only children under 12.

SW AG80
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AG
Interview takes less than 5 minutes. Seems like we had our numbers in 2-3 weeks. Actual cards may have taken a little longer.
AgOutsideAustin
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AG
Got my number in a couple of days and waiting on the card. You should be fine.
62strat
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AG
Another question on global entry; can a married couple go through with customs together if only one has global entry?

Is there any other benefit to GE over Tsa pre if not traveling internationally?
Fairview
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62strat said:

Another question on global entry; can a married couple go through with customs together if only one has global entry?

Is there any other benefit to GE over Tsa pre if not traveling internationally?


Everyone has to have global entry to use it.
Out in Left Field
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AG
If you are TSA Pre-check, everyone who's on your booking should also get it. I think.
ColoradoMooseHerd
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Out in Left Field said:

If you are TSA Pre-check, everyone who's on your booking should also get it. I think.
Usually, but does not always happen
62strat
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Out in Left Field said:

If you are TSA Pre-check, everyone who's on your booking should also get it. I think.
It specifically says on the website only people who can go through without it are children under 12 with a parent that has it.

I just signed wife and I both up, might as well.
Out in Left Field
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AG
My wife's gotten it like 5 out of 5 times and only I have it, so who knows.
Orlando Ayala Cant Read
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I've never noticed the details of it all so I'll ask...

With TSA pre check do you just walk right through with out even having to put bags through the scanners, or is it simply bypassing the long security line? What is the exact process of walking through pre check?
62strat
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Pretty sure you have your own line (I see them at the airport) and website says you don't have to take laptops, liquids bag, iPads out of your bag. You can also leave on your shoes, light jackets, belts.

You still put luggage on scanner belt.
Fairview
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Like it was said you don't take anything off except for heavy coats. Leave all your stuff in your bags. Also they use the old style metal detectors and not the body scanners. There are always idiots in the line that somehow how to figure out how to slow it down but overall it's way better.
Tree Hugger
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It can depend on the airport.

At DAL there is a separate pre-check line and I just chunk my backpack on the conveyor and walk through the metal detector without removing anything.

But at MAF, everyone goes through the same line and they give the pre-check folks a pink card telling you to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from your bag. Then you surrender the pink card to get a pass through the metal detector instead of the scanner. I've been told that many of the smaller airports have similar situations.
Jock 07
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Out in Left Field said:

My wife's gotten it like 5 out of 5 times and only I have it, so who knows.
Same experience for me, as long as she is on the same reservation. I thought this was because I have precheck automatically through my DoD ID#. If I use miles for one ticket and pay for another she won't get it.
AustinScubaAg
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Prior to my wife getting global entry it was very hit or miss if she got precheck even on the same reservation.
superunknown
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Tree Hugger said:

It can depend on the airport.

At DAL there is a separate pre-check line and I just chunk my backpack on the conveyor and walk through the metal detector without removing anything.

But at MAF, everyone goes through the same line and they give the pre-check folks a pink card telling you to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from your bag. Then you surrender the pink card to get a pass through the metal detector instead of the scanner. I've been told that many of the smaller airports have similar situations.



This is my experience as well.
Bluecat_Aggie94
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Quote:

I have the united explorer that reimburses the $85 fee

Could you please elaborate on this?
Fairview
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Bluecat_Aggie94 said:


Quote:

I have the united explorer that reimburses the $85 fee

Could you please elaborate on this?
Earlier this year they took away other benefits on this card and added this as a new benefit. The details are on the cards website.
txags92
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AG
My wife and I just went through the process for Global Entry in the last month, and it was actually very fast. I think we did the online application around July 30th, had conditional approvals in about 3 working days, were able to schedule our interviews at IAH for August 11th, received final approval notices about 20 minutes after the interview, and just got our cards in the mail yesterday. So less than 3 weeks start to finish. The interview consisted of being told to read a sheet with the rules laid out in 6 bullets, being asked if I understood the rules, having my picture taken, and my fingerprints scanned. I was never actually asked any other questions. Took about 5 minutes.

The PASSID # you get as part of the application and conditional approval is the # that will end up being your ID number. Once you are approved, go edit your reservation to add the PASSID as your "known traveler number" and when you do your check-in, it will print a boarding pass with pre-check authorized on it.
ThunderCougarFalconBird
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When you go abroad with global entry, be sure to bring your card with you. For whatever reason, some foreign countries (Canada, Ireland) want to see your GE card before letting you into their domestic express process. Probably most applicable in countries where you clear US customs before departure.
htxag09
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62strat said:

Is there any other benefit to GE over Tsa pre if not traveling internationally?

It's only $15 more. Even if you only travel internationally once with it, well worth the extra $15
BQ2001
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It's well worth it in Denver. I don't think I've ever waited more than 5 min in line in TSA pre at DIA.
BMX Bandit
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BQ2001 said:

It's well worth it in Denver. I don't think I've ever waited more than 5 min in line in TSA pre at DIA.
on a trip in March, they only had TSA working on south entry. the line stretched all the way back down past the escalators, then half way down the north entry section. 20 minutes total. amazingly efficient.
Matsui
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No
Snipes
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Global entry definitely won't let you through unless everybody has it.

I flew in from Amsterdam to IAH with wife and 4 month old in tow in May and the agent wouldn't let us pass because kiddo didn't have it.

Im not sure in other cities but not huge benefit to having global entry anymore in Houston because the global entry line has been just as bad as the normal immigration line last few times I flew.

Totally spend the extra $15 bucks to get it though because there will be once in a blue moon it pays off.

AustinScubaAg
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Just a warning. Do not assume you will have precheck every time. Precheck is not guarenteed I found that out the hard way.
BMX Bandit
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AustinScubaAg said:

Just a warning. Do not assume you will have precheck every time. Precheck is not guarenteed I found that out the hard way.


You need to link your known traveler # to frequent flier account
htxag09
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BMX Bandit said:

AustinScubaAg said:

Just a warning. Do not assume you will have precheck every time. Precheck is not guarenteed I found that out the hard way.


You need to link your known traveler # to frequent flier account

Still not guaranteed. You will get it 99% of the time. But not guaranteed.
BMX Bandit
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htxag09 said:

BMX Bandit said:

AustinScubaAg said:

Just a warning. Do not assume you will have precheck every time. Precheck is not guarenteed I found that out the hard way.


You need to link your known traveler # to frequent flier account

Still not guaranteed. You will get it 99% of the time. But not guaranteed.


Then me & the people I know and work with are beating the odds amazingly! Thousands of flights, and once linking was properly done, precheck every single time.

The people that have not gotten precheck, has a problem in their account. Every single time
Fairview
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BMX Bandit said:

htxag09 said:

BMX Bandit said:

AustinScubaAg said:

Just a warning. Do not assume you will have precheck every time. Precheck is not guarenteed I found that out the hard way.


You need to link your known traveler # to frequent flier account

Still not guaranteed. You will get it 99% of the time. But not guaranteed.


Then me & the people I know and work with are beating the odds amazingly! Thousands of flights, and once linking was properly done, precheck every single time.

The people that have not gotten precheck, has a problem in their account. Every single time



Its happened to me before. It didn't show up and I asked at the airport and they said they said it's a random thing. I just renewed mine this year so I'm in year 6 of having it and it hasn't happened in the last 4 years so maybe they stopped doing it or it's not a common thing.
ColoradoMooseHerd
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Not common but does happen. That is why you always need to check boarding pass to confirm.
AustinScubaAg
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BMX Bandit said:

htxag09 said:

BMX Bandit said:

AustinScubaAg said:

Just a warning. Do not assume you will have precheck every time. Precheck is not guarenteed I found that out the hard way.


You need to link your known traveler # to frequent flier account

Still not guaranteed. You will get it 99% of the time. But not guaranteed.


Then me & the people I know and work with are beating the odds amazingly! Thousands of flights, and once linking was properly done, precheck every single time.

The people that have not gotten precheck, has a problem in their account. Every single time

I had precheck for 2 years before not getting it on a flight. It had nothing to do with an account issue.
62strat
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htxag09 said:

62strat said:

Is there any other benefit to GE over Tsa pre if not traveling internationally?

It's only $15 more. Even if you only travel internationally once with it, well worth the extra $15
Well our upcoming international trip is too close to get GE; it says it takes a few months, where as tsa pre is a few weeks.

In 5 years, I'll go GE. Our kids are too young now to do long international flights, so I don't see many in the next couple years.
62strat
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Bluecat_Aggie94 said:


Quote:

I have the united explorer that reimburses the $85 fee

Could you please elaborate on this?
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/products/chase.html
JMac03
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62strat said:

htxag09 said:

62strat said:

Is there any other benefit to GE over Tsa pre if not traveling internationally?

It's only $15 more. Even if you only travel internationally once with it, well worth the extra $15
Well our upcoming international trip is too close to get GE; it says it takes a few months, where as tsa pre is a few weeks.

In 5 years, I'll go GE. Our kids are too young now to do long international flights, so I don't see many in the next couple years.
Like someone else said above, I had my GE within 3 weeks max. I know TA probably too late since you already got TSA. But it def doesn't take months. And I had my approval within 30 minutes too.
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