My husband and I nervously glanced at each other as we glanced at the scene before us– our three young children in tow. A massive line of people snaking every which way through the Las Vegas airport security area had just come into view. There had to be hundreds of people waiting to clear security. It was early–too early. It was nearing 5 a.m. and with a 6 a.m. flight departure time, we honestly weren’t sure if we were going to make it through the massive line in time.
Then, as if to rub salt in the wound, we observed several noticeably less stressed than us passengers breezing their way through the line next to us. It’s not even fair to call it a line, really. There was no one in it. The TSA agent quickly signed them through and off they went on their merry way. Just like that.
If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ve probably noticed the “TSA Pre-Checked” line that expedites travelers through the security process. Perhaps you always thought the line was reserved for VIP’s, government employees with special clearances, or passengers who paid exorbitant amounts of money. Fortunately, for frequent travelers–with kids or without–neither is true. So, here’s a little secret– you too can breeze through the airport TSA line.
What does TSA Pre-Check Mean, Anyway?
You better believe, as soon as we returned home from our vacation, I looked up how to become one of those special people who could breeze through the TSA line.
It’s called becoming TSA pre-checked– and if you qualify as any of the following, then you can sign up: a law-abiding US citizen, US national, or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR).
After a simple online application process and a quick appointment with your local TSA office, those approved can move through lines much, much quicker. In fact, their website even brags that those who are TSA pre-checked have an average wait time of only FIVE minutes!
Even better, if you’re traveling with kids then they can go through the line with you without having to pay an additional fee . . . at least until they turn 13. Once they’ve become a teenager, they’ll have to go through the application process like everyone else.
There’s only one catch– it’s not a free service. If you want to be in the TSA Pre-Checked club, there’s an $85 fee for it. However, once you’ve paid and been approved, the pre-check is good for five full years! FIVE!
How to Become TSA Pre-Checked
Here’s how the entire application process works:
Step #1: fill out some info online. The initial TSA pre-check form can be found here: https://universalenroll.dhs.
Step #2: set up an appointment with your local TSA office. After you’re done filling out step #1, the page automatically takes you to an online area to do this. TSA offices often double up with other local agencies. Mine was located in my DMV office.
Step #3: show up to your appointment, which includes getting a few finger prints, double checking the info you filled out in step #1, and paying your $85 fee. Also, some credit cards automatically reimburse your fee. Seriously! On my way home from my appointment, my credit card company emailed me a congrats on becoming TSA pre-checked and telling me they were reimbursing me. Total win!
That’s it. Within a couple of weeks you should receive a card in the mail with your TSA pre-check number that you’ll use when you purchase future airfare.
Easy peasy.
So, if you plan on traveling with kids anytime soon, seriously consider applying to become TSA pre-checked. It may save you a lot of headache in the end.
Additional Tips for traveling with kids:
Here’s another travel-tip for you to avoid long lines (unrelated to the TSA pre-check): another way to skip the lines is to consider checking bags through the outdoor Sky Cap. Sure, you pay a little extra by having to tip them, but a few extra dollars is well worth it to avoid the long lines indoors. It can totally help by saving you from missing a flight.
No matter your airline of choice, sign your kids up for their frequent flyer program. Slowly, but surely those miles will amount to something!
See our blog post here for some helpful road trip tips.
Some of our favorite items for traveling with kids comes from this company. Some of our favorite items are listed here.
Author: Brittany
Former White House and Capitol Hill staffer, wife, and mom.
We have TSA pre-check and it is the bomb!!! Course don’t say it like that at the airport. Paul and I both have it and it’s worth every penny. A few things I’ve learned – make sure your ticket says precheck on it because if it doesn’t you can’t go down that line. Also just this past summer we flew to California and my 13 yr old twins and also my 21 yr old son all got tsa precheck on their boarding passes – without going through the process but because they were on my same purchase. And one time I figured out how much it would be per flight over a 5 year period – if you just fly twice a year in those 5 years it’s like $4/flight – totally worth it.