How To Get TSA PreCheck For Free (2024)

Contributor, Forbes Advisor Staff

Updated: Sep 20, 2023, 6:28am

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TSA PreCheck is an expedited airport screening program administered by the Transportation Safety Administration. To be approved, applicants must undergo a background check and be assessed as low-risk travelers.

Members have access to a dedicated TSA PreCheck lane at U.S. airport security checkpoints. The expedited screening process is less intrusive—members can keep their shoes on and leave their laptops and 3-1-1 liquids bag in their carry-on luggage. Overall, the screening is more efficient and takes less time than traditional security screening.

Applying for TSA PreCheck is straightforward. Complete the online application and schedule your enrollment appointment. Travelers who are applying for TSA PreCheck for the first time must pay the $78 fee in-person at the enrollment center. The membership is good for five years.

If you’re a Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI member, you don’t need to apply for TSA PreCheck since TSA PreCheck eligibility is already included with those programs.

Who Is Eligible for TSA PreCheck?

You’re eligible for TSA PreCheck membership if you are a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national or a permanent, lawful U.S. resident. Other eligible travelers include:

• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Some government employees
• Military academy students
• Passengers younger than 12 who are traveling with an eligible passenger

Get out your wallet—it’s possible that you already have a travel credit card that will reimburse your TSA PreCheck application fee as many popular credit cards come with this valuable perk.

To use this benefit, charge the TSA PreCheck application fee to your eligible card and you’ll be reimbursed by statement credit. Typically the credit is available once every four or five years. Check with your card issuer for details.

• Aeroplan® Credit Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees)
• Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Terms apply, see rates & fees)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Terms apply, see rates & fees)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®*
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Terms apply, see rates & fees)
• Mastercard® Black Card™*
• United Club℠ Infinite Card
• United℠ Explorer Card
• United Quest℠ Card
• U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card*
• U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card*

TSA PreCheck is not a free benefit with any airline status. However, Delta Diamond Medallion, Delta 360° and United 1K members receive a free CLEAR® Plus membership as a benefit. CLEAR Plus expedites identity verification at the TSA checkpoint, using biometric data. TSA PreCheck and CLEAR Plus work well together to get travelers through TSA security checkpoints faster.

Read More: How Much Is Clear? Is it Worth the Cost?

Children younger than 18 can use the TSA PreCheck lane without enrolling in the program if they are traveling with a parent or guardian who is a TSA PreCheck member. However, children between ages 13 and 17 may be randomly selected for the regular screening lanes, even when accompanied by an enrolled adult.

As much as your teens might like to be separated from you, it’s probably not ideal in the hectic airport environment. To prevent splitting up your family at the security checkpoint, it’s best to get your teens their own TSA PreCheck membership. There is no discount for children to apply for TSA PreCheck and they go through the regular application and approval process.

Any child, even under 13 years old, who is traveling alone may only use the TSA PreCheck lane if they have their own membership.

Active duty military personnel can access TSA PreCheck benefits for free, without applying for membership, thanks to a partnership between the TSA and the Department of Defense (DoD).

Eligible military groups include:

• All members of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Members serving in the Reserves and National Guard
• Cadets and midshipmen of the U.S. Military Academy, Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy and Air Force Academy
• DoD civilian employees

Veterans are not eligible for TSA PreCheck benefits through the TSA/DoD partnership and must enroll through the regular process and pay the application fee if they want TSA PreCheck membership.

How To Use TSA PreCheck as a Military Member

To use TSA PreCheck, enter your DoD ID number from the back of your common access card (CAC) into the Known Traveler Number (KTN) field when you make your flight reservation. You can also enter it into your airline loyalty account profile and your Defense Travel System profile so that it is automatically attached to your bookings.

If you’re a DoD civilian employee, you must opt in via your profile in your milConnect account to access TSA benefits.

You can use TSA PreCheck for both leisure and official travel.

TSA PreCheck is not free for seniors and there are no senior discounts applicable to the $78 application fee.

TSA PreCheck improves your travel experience by saving you valuable time clearing airport security. At $78 for five years of TSA PreCheck, the annual cost of $15.60 is well worth the benefits. But free is even better. If you’ve already got a travel credit card, check to see whether the benefits include TSA PreCheck fee reimbursem*nt. And if you’re in the military, be sure to add your DoD ID number to all your airline loyalty accounts to ensure you’ll always be in the fast lane.

To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card please visit this page.