Could TSA PreCheck Soon Cost Less and Be Easier to Get?
As a record number of passengers head to the countrys airports this summer, the Transportation Security Administration is looking at ways to bolster enrollment in its expedited security screening program. share this article  Many frequent fliers will attest that the $85 enrollment fee for a five-year membership in the U.S. Transportation Security Administrations TSA PreCheck program is worth its weight in gold. The agencys expedited security screening program gives its members access to security lanes that are typically shorter and quicker, where pre-screened travelers are not required to remove their shoes, belts, or light jackets or take their laptops and 3.4-ounce liquid containers out of their bags and backpacks. Case in point: The Friday before this past Memorial Day (May 24), TSA experienced its busiest day ever, screening nearly 2.8 million travelers, and yet 91.5 percent of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes in security, according to the agency. But despite the amount of time TSA PreCheck can and often does save travelers, enrollment in the program could use a boost, which is why TSA is considering a different fee structure, USA Today reported. We want to get people into the program and so wed like to make it easier, TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Patricia Cogswell told USA Today in an interview this week. Cogswell said the TSA is studying a variety of fee options and is expected to make recommendations in the next couple months. Article continues below advertisement  One new fee structure that has been suggested by the U.S. Travel Association earlier this year is to allow enrollees to pay for membership in TSA PreCheck under a subscription model. USTA also suggested that TSA offer volume discounts and streamline its enrollment process. The TSA can benefit tremendously if more passengers enrolled in the program, the USTA said in a statement. This expedited screening process requires fewer officers, and allows TSA to focus on non-vetted passengers. What if in three years its a totally different ball game and I dont want to be in this program? Given that, perhaps the agency could look into cheaper enrollment options that arent for a full five-year term, as one alternative to the current model. TSA PreCheck enrollment options Launched in 2013, TSA PreCheck currently has more than 7 million people enrolled. Travelers who would like to enroll in the TSA PreCheck program can apply online, and, as stated above, the enrollment fee is $85 for a five-year membership. They will then need to complete an in-person interview and provide fingerprints at an enrollment center, and once approved following a background check, they will have access to the TSA PreCheck lanes at the more than 200 airports that currently have them. Article continues below advertisement