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TSA Pre-Check Status - Anyone Have It?

ValuJet

ValuJet

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One of the worst experiences about air travel is the security screening process. TSA and the airlines have a pre-screening program available whereby you're able to bypass the hassle of the long lines, taking off your shoes, emptying your pockets, etc.

On my last trip, my boarding pass from USAir had "TSA Pre-Check" listed on the pass in the upper left corner. On both the departure and return flights. I've never applied for this before. For both flights, I went to the USAir ticket counter to check my luggage, and I don't know if the agent did something there that got me that status (I don't think a ticket agent can do that).

How did I get this without having applied? After so many flights and you haven't blown anything up or threatened anyone, do they finally grant you his? I can't find any information. And I only fly 3-4 times per year.

Surely this isn't something random that happens. Anyone know anything about this?
 
Jon

Jon

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totally random, got this myself a few weeks back in and out of Las Vegas

You can apply for this status at TSA.gov i believe but they also just randomly assign people to have it occasionally, You just got lucky that day
 
twofbyc

twofbyc

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We got it too on our recent trip to Chicago; I have no idea why. I used to fly every week, but that ended about 10 years ago and I haven't flown much since.
 
bamachile

bamachile

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I got it on my last flight from Boston, along with a ton of other cattle standing in line. The TSA will sometimes do it en masse to push the herd through, according to the agent who was herding us. Purely apocryphal, of course, but that's what you get on the NS board.
 
92tide

92tide

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i have both tsa pre-check and global entry. i think that the pre-check comes as part of the global entry, but i also get it through my delta medallion status. both of these make security and customs much faster and less of a hassle.
 
T

Tider@GW_Law

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Sep 16, 2007
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$85 if you want it essentially all the time. I've found it's worth it: http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/application-program

If you fly a lot internationally, look into Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI as well.

Edit: Just realized you were asking about the random one: http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/likelihood-receiving-tsa-precheck. My chance of getting it before I paid for it was fairly related to the amount I flew on the respective airline - a quarter of the time with United up to over half the time with Southwest.
 
Last edited:
ccc2259

ccc2259

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Oct 29, 2010
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I have it. Was given to me without any type of application after 1 year of particularly heavy air travel. Prior to receiving it, I looked for ways to get it without paying any fees, but never could find a method. I now see a number of places in large hub airports where anyone can sign up for it, but there is a screening process. I don't know if the fee still applies.
 
ValuJet

ValuJet

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I just found it very coincidental that I've never gotten it before and got it twice in a row, if it's random. The departing airport was Charlotte and the returning airport was Chicago O'Hare - both very busy.

If it's a random selection then why put anyone through the TSA ordeal?
 
Displaced Bama Fan

Displaced Bama Fan

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ValuJet said:
I just found it very coincidental that I've never gotten it before and got it twice in a row, if it's random. The departing airport was Charlotte and the returning airport was Chicago O'Hare - both very busy.

If it's a random selection then why put anyone through the TSA ordeal?
Click to expand...
Maybe you've been selected to be part of the secret club. I'll check with the rest of the membership committee and let you know if your provisional status has been upgraded to permanent status. Back in a few.
 
bamachile

bamachile

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Regarding the permanent status, by BIL paid for it as he flies overseas a few times a year and loves it. It can be viewed as a kick-back, and it well might be, but pragmatically it may be worth it.
 
CajunCrimson

CajunCrimson

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I have it through Delta and Amex.....but I only have it if I fly Delta....I just flew United this week and didn't have it.
 
ValuJet

ValuJet

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Displaced Bama Fan said:
Maybe you've been selected to be part of the secret club. I'll check with the rest of the membership committee and let you know if your provisional status has been upgraded to permanent status. Back in a few.
Click to expand...
OK. I think I know the secret handshake.
 
ValuJet

ValuJet

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I've only flown USAir the last few years because of their hub in Charlotte. maybe it's an airline thing.

I'm hesitant to call asking questions, afraid they'll put me on the Terrorist Watch list or something. Don't want to mess up a good thing.
 
uafan4life

uafan4life

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ValuJet said:
I've only flown USAir the last few years because of their hub in Charlotte. maybe it's an airline thing.

I'm hesitant to call asking questions, afraid they'll put me on the Terrorist Watch list or something. Don't want to mess up a good thing.
Click to expand...

It's not really random and it is an airline thing.

Specific airlines can put a certain number of "frequent" flyers on what is basically their own TSA Pre-Check list if they meet certain criteria. It isn't published exactly what exactly constitutes a "frequent" flyer nor what the specific criteria is that the passengers must meet. It's also a shorter, temporary status that most likely only applies to flights on that specific airline - though being put on the list for one airline probably doesn't hurt your chances of being put on it for another.
 
twofbyc

twofbyc

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uafan4life said:
It's not really random and it is an airline thing.

Specific airlines can put a certain number of "frequent" flyers on what is basically their own TSA Pre-Check list if they meet certain criteria. It isn't published exactly what exactly constitutes a "frequent" flyer nor what the specific criteria is that the passengers must meet. It's also a shorter, temporary status that most likely only applies to flights on that specific airline - though being put on the list for one airline probably doesn't hurt your chances of being put on it for another.
Click to expand...
That makes sense - I had about 500,000 FF miles on Delta back last decade.
 
Al A Bama

Al A Bama

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ValuJet said:
One of the worst experiences about air travel is the security screening process. TSA and the airlines have a pre-screening program available whereby you're able to bypass the hassle of the long lines, taking off your shoes, emptying your pockets, etc.

On my last trip, my boarding pass from USAir had "TSA Pre-Check" listed on the pass in the upper left corner. On both the departure and return flights. I've never applied for this before. For both flights, I went to the USAir ticket counter to check my luggage, and I don't know if the agent did something there that got me that status (I don't think a ticket agent can do that).

How did I get this without having applied? After so many flights and you haven't blown anything up or threatened anyone, do they finally grant you his? I can't find any information. And I only fly 3-4 times per year.

Surely this isn't something random that happens. Anyone know anything about this?
Click to expand...
I recently had that on a flight from Houston to Chicago on United. A TSA lady still asked me to take my sandals off. I again showed her the TSA Pre-Check status and she just let me move on.

I guess you and I did not look like someone from Middle East or just too OLD to cause any problems.
 
Al A Bama

Al A Bama

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Displaced Bama Fan said:
Maybe you've been selected to be part of the secret club. I'll check with the rest of the membership committee and let you know if your provisional status has been upgraded to permanent status. Back in a few.
Click to expand...
If they read his TideFans many posts, do you really think they would give him that status?
 
I

Isaiah 63:1

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Probably at 35k or in an airport somewhere
ValuJet said:
I just found it very coincidental that I've never gotten it before and got it twice in a row, if it's random. The departing airport was Charlotte and the returning airport was Chicago O'Hare - both very busy.

If it's a random selection then why put anyone through the TSA ordeal?
Click to expand...
Other than paying for the program (which is one of the best investments a frequent traveler can make) there are two ways to get it:

"Random" - actually nothing of the sort; your travel profile fits certain criteria that make you most unlikely to be a risk. Even if I knew what these criteria are (and I don't), I couldn't divulge them.

Carrier invitation - if you are a frequent flyer on an airline, they know enough about you and your travel patterns and profile to refer you to the TSA as a low risk passenger. TSA then has the option of agreeing with the airline and giving you pre-check on that carrier only.
 
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