In less than 11 years, the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck Trusted Traveler Program has reached a 20 million active member milestone, the federal agency announced Thursday.
Launched in December 2013, the program aimed to reduce the burden at TSA airport security checkpoints by vetting eligible airline passengers and allowing them to pass through the screening lane with a lot more ease than the standard security process.
The vetting process does, of course, come at a cost to the individual traveler but it turns out that more and more passengers really see the benefit in paying less than $80 for an initial five year membership.
The program remains unique to the United States, allowing passengers to share personal details to prove they are less of a risk compared to non-vetted passengers who must still remove their shoes, belts and light jackets before passing through the metal detector.
TSA PreCheck members also avoid the hassle of having to remove their laptops or liquids from their carryons, although the 3-1-1 liquid rule still applies.
On average, the TSA claims that the wait for PreCheck members to get through the security checkpoint is less than 10 minutes, while the wait for non-PreCheck members averages at just under 30 minutes.
U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and U.S. lawful permanent residents can apply for TSA PreCheck on its own, while nationals of certain other countries can apply for TSA PreCheck if they also enroll in the Global Entry scheme.
In fact, if you combine the members of all the DHS Trusted Traveler programs, as many as 40 million people have access to TSA PreCheck while traveling through US airports.
Announcing the milestone, TSA Administrator David Pekoske commented: “TSA PreCheck continues to be one of our most innovative risk-based security solutions, providing the benefit of shorter wait times of under 10 minutes, greater checkpoint efficiency and improved security.”
“Additionally, the cost of TSA PreCheck continues to go down for both new enrollments and renewals. The consistent growth of the TSA PreCheck program is a testament to its popularity and success,” Pekoske continued.
If the 40 million member achievement wasn’t a testament enough to PreCheck’s popularity, consider this… In May 2023, the program reached 15 million active members, meaning that five million more people have signed up to TSA PreCheck in just over a year.
