I need to tell you about the moment I stopped feeling smug about TSA PreCheck.
I walked into the New Orleans airport a few weeks back and the regular security line had blown past the stanchions, curled around the corner, and looked like something you'd see outside a Saints game. An hour, easy. I glanced over at PreCheck, expecting my usual quick in-and-out, and even that line had backed up. Same with CLEAR.
I got through in five minutes. Ahead of both of them.
Here's how: about a month earlier I'd enrolled in TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, and I hadn't thought much about it since. That morning, it paid for itself in one line.
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What each program actually gives you, and what it takes to get in There are four names getting thrown around here, and they don't do the same job or ask the same of you upfront, so let's go one at a time. |
Global Entry is PreCheck's international sibling. For $120 over five years, about $35 to $42 more than PreCheck alone, you get everything PreCheck offers plus expedited customs clearance when you fly back into the U.S. If you leave the country even once every five years, this is the better value, since it includes PreCheck automatically.
To enroll, you'll need:
- An online application through the Trusted Traveler Programs website
- A valid passport
- A background check, run automatically after you apply
- An in-person interview at an enrollment center, or Enrollment on Arrival at a growing number of airports, which lets you finish that interview the moment you land
CLEAR is a different animal entirely. It's a private company, not a government program. It runs around $189 to $209 a year on its own, though several airline and credit card partnerships knock that down. CLEAR works best paired with PreCheck, not instead of it.
To enroll, you'll need:
- Sign-up online or at an airport kiosk
- A valid ID and payment information
- A quick biometric scan of your eyes or face, done on the spot
- No waiting period, you can often be enrolled and using it the same day
Touchless ID is the newest of the four, and it's an add-on to PreCheck rather than its own membership, with no separate fee. Instead of showing a boarding pass or ID at the checkpoint, a camera matches your face to a photo already on file with the government, like your passport photo, and you walk through the dedicated lane. It currently operates at 65 airports, and five airlines participate: Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, and United.
To enroll, you'll need:
- TSA PreCheck already active on your account
- A profile with one of the five participating airlines
- Your Known Traveler Number and passport information saved to that airline profile
- Opt in directly through your airline account, some renew automatically, others ask yearly, so check yours
Once approved, look for the Touchless ID indicator on your mobile boarding pass. That's your green light for the dedicated lane.
Why This Matters Beyond Convenience
Airport lines this year have been unpredictable in a way they haven't been in a while. Wait times that used to be reliable at fifteen minutes are stretching into an hour without much warning. Having more than one expedited option working in your favor, PreCheck, Global Entry, CLEAR, Touchless ID, means one rough morning at security doesn't have to cost you your flight.
I've always told clients that the best trip planning happens long before the airport. This is exactly the kind of thing I mean. Most of these cost less than a nice dinner out over five years, and the difference is strolling to your gate with a coffee instead of sprinting with your shoes half on.
If any of this sounds like something you’ve been meaning to take care of, let us help you get it sorted before your next trip. For more tips on making your airport experience as effortless as possible, check out our previous blog posts!
