For years, TSA PreCheck, a trusted traveler program that allows travelers to go through an expedited security screening process, has been positioned as the antidote to long airport security lines. For a fee of $85 (or less, depending on the enrollment provider—either IDEMIA, Clear, or Telos), users are granted five years of access to a dedicated line for domestic and some international flights that allows them to keep electronics and approved liquids in their bags and their shoes on their feet.
But with more than 20 million travelers enrolled as of August 2024—and with new airport screening technology and policy changes making the standard TSA security experience quicker and easier—some fliers are reassessing whether the program still delivers enough of an advantage to justify the fee and the in-person interview required to enroll.
On paper, the program is holding up. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says 99 percent of PreCheck passengers wait less than 10 minutes in line. And the service is now available at more than 200 U.S. airports and with upwards of 90 airlines. Enrollment is also straightforward: Travelers apply for TSA PreCheck online in about five minutes, then schedule an in-person appointment at an enrollment center located at airports, Staples stores, and a growing number of IdentoGo enrollment outposts. The program has also rolled out newer perks aimed at speeding things up even further. At select airports, eligible travelers can use TSA’s Touchless ID lanes, which rely on facial recognition technology to verify identity instead of a physical ID—allowing passengers to move through security with even fewer steps.
The advantage is narrowing
At the same time, the gap between standard and expedited screening has narrowed in certain airports. The rollout of new computed tomography (CT) scanners means travelers in many regular security lanes no longer have to remove laptops or compliant liquids from their bags. TSA also updated its shoe-screening policy last year, allowing most passengers—not just PreCheck members—to keep their shoes on. Those changes have chipped away at two of PreCheck’s most visible perks and narrowed the procedural gap.
Scott Laird, a longtime travel writer who frequently covers aviation and flew 181 flights in 2025, said that though he has PreCheck (as well as Global Entry and Clear+), there’s “almost no benefit” of the expedited programs at his home airport of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, as the security lines are often short. Still, he wouldn’t give it up.
“But rather than thinking about the times I had it and didn’t need it, I think about the times when it saved me, and it feels worth every cent,” Laird said. “I’m talking about the Las Vegas airport on a Sunday, or Seattle during the summer cruise season, or pretty much anywhere during summer, or the winter holidays. Sure, there are times when the TSA PreCheck line is longer, but I still feel like those occurrences are still vastly outnumbered by the times I’ve breezed through when I otherwise would have had a long wait.”
Why many travelers still find it worthwhile
Angela Berardino, founder of Brouhaha Collective, a travel and tourism public relations agency, echoed that sentiment, arguing that even if you don’t fly as often as she does (typically about five times a month), time remains the differentiator.
“I spent two hours arguing about this with my parents over the holidays,” said Berardino, who also bought her parents PreCheck as a gift—only for them not to enroll. “If you travel more than twice a year, it’s absolutely worth it.”
She added that she regularly checks wait times at Denver International Airport before leaving home and says it’s common to see a 7-minute wait for PreCheck compared with 25 minutes or more in the standard line. Last year, she calculated that she skipped more than 30 hours of cumulative line time.
At Denver—also my home airport—that difference can be both obvious and subtle. Because so many travelers here have PreCheck, the dedicated lane is often nearly as long (or longer) than the regular one. But the flow tends to be steadier, with fewer secondary bag checks and fewer infrequent fliers slowing the process.
The variability becomes even clearer at other airports. On a recent departure from LaGuardia, after accidentally letting my PreCheck membership lapse, I waited nearly an hour in the standard security line. The PreCheck lane that morning was moving at about eight minutes per passenger. The disparity underscored how much the program’s value can depend on airport, timing, and volume.
“TSA PreCheck moves so much faster that, in my experience, you’d rather be in a PreCheck line of 40 than a general line of 10,” said Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at Going, a flight deals newsletter and app. “That’s due to a combination of lighter screening and more experienced travelers who know, say, to empty their water bottles.”
Cost remains a key selling point. However, dozens of premium travel credit cards reimburse the fee, a benefit some cardholders may overlook.
“Because it’s reimbursed by so many credit cards, the effective cost for many travelers is $0, which makes applying for the program a relatively low-risk bet,” said Sally French, cohost of the Smart Travel Podcast.
There are limitations. Not all airlines offer PreCheck, and not every terminal has dedicated lanes available at all hours. Travelers must also ensure that their Known Traveler Number (the alphanumeric number associated with their TSA PreCheck membership) is correctly attached to reservations.
As standard screening continues to evolve, TSA PreCheck’s edge is less about exclusive privileges—like keeping shoes on—and more about average wait times and predictability. For some travelers, especially those flying only once or twice a year from smaller airports, the difference may feel marginal. For others, particularly at major hubs during peak periods, the time savings can be significant. The calculus isn’t universal, but for millions of travelers, the data—and the lived experience—suggest expedited security still frequently delivers on its promise.
This article was originally published in 2019; it was most recently updated on March 10, 2026, with current information.
