TSA Pre-Check

Last week we accomplished the TSA Pre Check procedure.

To do it you go to: https://universalenroll.dhs.gov/programs/precheck

It's 4 or 5 pages that you fill out online, then it directs you to a appointments page where you select a TSA service location, and you set up an appointment. Here's an important tip, we set up our appointments for an AM time. A person might want to set an afternoon appointment instead, as the location we visited also did drug tests for businesses. This tends to clog up the morning shift. The nice lady in Colorado Springs told us that, "in an hour it'll be all cleared out". SO, do yourself a favor and set up for the afternoon, go have a nice breakfast, shop a bit etc.

If you have a valid drivers license and a passport for ID, that's all you need. That and the $85. I'd suggest getting the passport first, as that can be a bit more of a hurdle.

At the appointment, they check your IDs, check through your submitted info, and finger print you. And it's not like the old finger printing with the ink and stuff. This is new, fancy stuff with a scan pad. Then they take your money, non-refundable so don't apply if you have felony's. :D

It took a total of 4 days to get the result, which they email you. There's no card or anything, it's an assigned number that you have to have handy when making reservations and such. Most airlines will use it and the number gets cleverly implanted into the bar code of a given boarding pass. Often, if you're a frequent traveler (or belong to a rewards program) they'll keep your number on file for future travel.

It's a little extra work to add your numbers to existing reservations, but South West makes it easy and even our little local airline (Boutique out of Alamosa) can do it if you're patient and have your info handy.

The website makes the point that have a KTN does not mean you'll never get strip searched and anal probed, but it's much less likely.

Hope that's helpful. :D