[Tyga11]

I’ve travelled a lot this year. Probably more than I have ever. I’ve made it a point to look at the line for TSA pre check since I don’t have it (and never will)

What I’ve seen is the line is ALWAYS equal or less than general. What’s funny is the pre check people think they are special when it reality they are wasting money.

So the next time you are at the airport, notice the line difference

[2000cs]

Sometimes pre-check moves faster, so line length doesn’t equate to wait time. However it always bothered me that I would have to pay for it. TSA is theater, and pre-check is just slightly better seats.

[bayarea328xit]

In most CA airports, I've found that the TSA PreCheck lines are shorter and move faster...

The real game changer is Global Entry -- that makes a huge difference when you come home and have to get through US customs...it also includes TSA PreCheck "for free"...

[zx10guy]

What's a scam is that you can't apply what you've paid to upgrade to Global Entry status. You have to pay for that separately. Not only that, if you hold a Federal security clearance of at least a Secret, you should automatically get all of these: Pre-Check and Global Entry. I can tell you from personal experience that the clearance levels I've had provided much deeper vetting than any of those. But it's all a money grab.

I had Pre-Check but let it expire. I didn't pay for it as I used the points/mileage I accumulated flying United to get it done for free. I did that when I discovered how much of a scam United frequent flier program is too.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

I’ve travelled a lot this year. Probably more than I have ever. I’ve made it a point to look at the line for TSA pre check since I don’t have it (and never will)

What I’ve seen is the line is ALWAYS equal or less than general. What’s funny is the pre check people think they are special when it reality they are wasting money.

So the next time you are at the airport, notice the line difference

I think it depends on where you fly out of. We usually fly out of O'Hare or Indy. Indy rarely has more than a few people in the TSA-Pre line and O'Hare's TSA-Pre line is always way smaller than the normal line, which is usually mobbed. Plus in the TSA-Pre line I don't have to remove my shoes (do they still do that in the normal line?) and I don't have to yank my laptop out of my carry-on. I also wear a belt with a plastic buckle and make sure I have no metal on me at all, including my watch.

That said, our traveling has dropped to nearly nothing. Maybe once a year since 2020. So maybe it's gotten worse. I've developed a serious aversion to travel. I enjoy being somewhere else (usually), I just hate getting there and back. My patience for the absurd theater that flying has become has worn thin.

[KevinC]

I’ve had PreCheck since the beginning and it’s been helpful a LOT more times than not for me.

[urbancowboy]

Fly out of BNA frequently and think pre is a no brainer. Line is always shorter, no hassle with laptops or shoes, and also nice when traveling with kids as they get it automatically. For less than $20/year it’s more than worth it for me. But I fully support as many people as possible not getting it so the lines stay shorter…

[Josh-PA]

It's not a scam. The line moves much faster because you're going through metal detectors instead of body scanners, in a line with other travelers that actually know what they're doing, don't have to undress (shoes, belts, etc) don't need to unpack and repack your laptop and lots of other speed enhancers. For me it's totally worth it ( maybe because my company pays for it 😄 ). I have global entry too, but I use pre check much more. I had clear for a year, but found the added benefits for that weren't worth the cost.

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

Fly out of BNA frequently and think pre is a no brainer. Line is always shorter, no hassle with laptops or shoes, and also nice when traveling with kids as they get it automatically. For less than $20/year it’s more than worth it for me. But I fully support as many people as possible not getting it so the lines stay shorter…

Not sure what BNA is - sounds like a small airport but go to a big airport and you will see the line is shorter than the general line. And most of the time you don’t have to take off your shoes.

This reminds me of the Amex lounge scam. Everyone has the card and thinks they’re special but when you get in the lounge there’s a million people in there

[kscarrol]

I have found it useful. Is it perfect, no, but most of the time I find it helpful. It’s $17 a year, hardly breaking the bank. Amex also covers Clear for me so should TSA pre be a longer line I just use Clear.

[urbancowboy]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

Not sure what BNA is - sounds like a small airport but go to a big airport and you will see the line is shorter than the general line. And most of the time you don’t have to take off your shoes.

This reminds me of the Amex lounge scam. Everyone has the card and thinks they’re special but when you get in the lounge there’s a million people in there

I’m not sure how an airport code can sound small. It’s not. And yes, exactly as you said, in bigger airports the TSA line is shorter than the general line

[T.R.S.]

There have been multiple times when I've showed up for an early morning departing flight and the Pre-Check line isn't opened up yet so I end up having to go through the regular TSA check and all the extra rigmarole it entails.

[reallymarkedup]

"I don't have precheck, but I can tell you it's not worth it because occasionally I look at the precheck line at the one airport I'm at"

If that's how you've determined its worth, by all means carry on. The few times I've walked right through at DIA while the main room is full up and was sitting down for a bite on the other side in under ten minutes, has more than made it worth it for me.

[IanH]

OP is fake news. Precheck is 100% worth it, almost always faster and you don't have to take off your shoes or walk thru the nudie scanner.

Fuck the tsa, but thankful for precheck every time. Tsa is literally a government jobs program that is useless and should be abolished.

[NervoS]

Pre-check definitely worth those ~$100 for 5 years. Much faster lanes, no need to take off shoes and stuff.

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by IanH

OP is fake news. Precheck is 100% worth it, almost always faster and you don't have to take off your shoes or walk thru the nudie scanner.

Fuck the tsa, but thankful for precheck every time. Tsa is literally a government jobs program that is useless and should be abolished.

'Fake News'

Explain to me how the general security line is FASTER every time I've been to the airport this past year? Probably 10 times total. I make a point to look at each line.

Airports:

PHX Sky Harbor
Austin
Dallas Love Field
Houston Hobby
Newark (Yes, Newark)

Also at Sky Harbor, TSA Pre Check closes @ 7pm so doesn't even accomodate night flights

[reallymarkedup]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

'Fake News'

Explain to me how the general security line is FASTER every time I've been to the airport this past year? Probably 10 times total. I make a point to look at each line.

Airports:

PHX Sky Harbor
Austin
Dallas Love Field
Houston Hobby
Newark (Yes, Newark)

Also at Sky Harbor, TSA Pre Check closes @ 7pm so doesn't even accomodate night flights

Your science is infallible. You have convinced me! I am going to call them tomorrow and demand my money back.

[IanH]

This person is so clueless lol. As if you can actually tell what's the faster line by looking. I've probably flown precheck 10x the amount you have and I have actual side by side experiences where I'm flying with a coworker who doesn't have precheck, we both enter security at the same time, and they don't get into the terminal until 5-30 mins after me.

Sure the times where it's 5 minutes it's a negligible time difference, but I got to keep all my clothes on and didn't have to walk through the nudie scanner (and yes it is actually capturing detailed scans of your body)

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

I’m not sure how an airport code can sound small. It’s not.

Obviously, the OP has not been to Berry Field and never bothered to look up the airport before slamming it and its 50+ gates.....

[c1pher]

70% of the time Pre-Check works every time.

[RickFLM4]

I have never seen a TSA line longer than general security check and as mentioned numerous times above it moves faster. But is you want to stay in general security checks, fine by me. One less person in the TSA line.

[cozye]