If you are one of those that frequently travel via the air. I highly recommend signing the TSA program called TSA PreCheck. The $85 program for domestic travelers pays for itself after the first trip. The satisfaction you have from walking past all the long zig zagging lines can not be explained. It’s like having a fast past at Disney except the ride is an airplane.
At last count the program has more than 300,000 members and is enrolling about over 3,000 people a day. ~TSA spokesman Ross Feinstein
Once you have your PreCheck number the words TSA Pre are added to your boarding passes. You can even add the number to your frequent flyer program. This little number gives you the chance to skip the main security line and bypass many screening procedures such as taking off their shoes.
Although the fine print says that PreCheck does not guarantee a line-skip. I have yet to not have received a boarding pass with the program status noted on my boarding pass. However, should not make the cut for a flight you will have to wait with everyone else. Bonus is that if you are traveling with children who are 12 under they too can go through on the PreCheck line with you. Although this is not closely monitored.
One issue I have noticed is that at some smaller airports the PreCheck line gets clogged down because other travelers are selected at random to go through, as well. Even with the minor and very rare issue. The PreCheck is well worth it. The process for getting the TSA PreCheck is pretty straight forward. You got to the TSA PreCheck site. The long form for the site is www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck and once you fill out the form you have to schedule an interview. The interview sometimes can be as far as 45 days out. At the interview they take your biometrics and then send you on your way. It takes about a month to get the results of your interview. You will get a letter and an email if you are accepted.
You can also look online for a status update. At the moment the PreCheck program is active in about 118 U.S. airports on 11 airlines. That list is growing all the time. The current airlines are Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America.