TSA Pre✓™ is a pre-screening initiative that makes risk assessments on passengers who voluntarily participate prior to their arrival at the airport checkpoint.

TSA Pre✓™ includes U.S. citizens who are select frequent travelers of participating airlines or members of existing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler programs including Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI programs. As of November 15, 2012, Canadian citizens who are members of NEXUS are also qualified to participate in TSA Pre✓™. In addition, passengers 12 and younger are allowed through TSA Pre✓™ lanes with eligible passengers.

Eligible participants use dedicated TSA Pre✓™ lanes at participating airports (pdf, 160kb) for screening benefits which could include no longer removing the following items:

• Shoes
• 3-1-1 compliant bag from carry-on
• Laptop from bag
• Light outerwear/jacket
• Belt

If TSA determines a passenger is eligible for expedited screening, information is embedded in the barcode of the passenger’s boarding pass. TSA scans the barcode at designated checkpoints and the passenger may be able to receive expedited screening.

Notification of TSA Pre✓™ Eligibility

Recently TSA approved several methods to notify passengers of their eligibility for TSA Pre✓™. Passengers traveling on Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and US Airways will start to see a TSA Pre✓™ notification on select boarding passes.

Notifying passengers of their TSA Pre✓™ status prior to arriving at the document checking station will help passengers effectively route themselves to available TSA Pre✓™ lanes.

As the other TSA Pre✓™ participating airlines begin to offer similar functionality, passengers may see additional airlines implement notifications to eligible passengers. Therefore, if a passenger is traveling on a TSA Pre✓™ eligible itinerary and has opted in through their airline or is eligible through a Trusted Traveler program, they should still proceed to the TSA Pre✓™ lane to determine eligibility.

If TSA Pre✓™ is available at the airport they are traveling from; passengers should go directly to the TSA Pre✓™ lane. If TSA Pre✓™ is unavailable at the airport; passengers should proceed to the standard security lane. List of participating TSA Pre✓™ airports (pdf, 160kb)

What to Look For on Boarding Passes

Downloadable PDF document with examples of TSA Pre✓™ notifications (pdf, 1mb)

Delta passengers should look on their printed and mobile boarding passes for an indication of TSA Pre✓™ eligibility. Eligible passengers will see “TSA PRECHK” on web check-in and kiosk printed boarding passes below the passenger name field. On mobile boarding passes, the TSA Pre✓™ logo will appear at the top right corner above the barcode.

United passengers should look on their printed and mobile boarding passes for an indication of TSA Pre✓™ eligibility. Eligible passengers will see the TSA Pre✓™ logo on web check-in and select kiosk printed boarding passes above the passenger name field. On mobile boarding passes, the TSA Pre✓™ logo will appear at the top right corner above the barcode.

US Airways passengers should look on their printed web check-in and mobile boarding passes for an indication of TSA Pre✓™ eligibility. Eligible passengers will see “TSA PRECHK” on printed web check-in boarding passes below the passenger name field. On mobile boarding passes, the TSA Pre✓™ logo will appear directly above or below the barcode.

Q. When will the other airlines start to notify passengers if they are eligible for TSA Pre✓™ on their boarding passes?
A. TSA is working with the other participating TSA Pre✓™ airlines to add the notification to their boarding passes and all are expected to add this feature in the coming months.

Q. Will the notification appear on all types of boarding passes (mobile, at home web check-in, kiosks, counter)?
A. At this time, eligible Delta passengers may see the indicator on mobile, at home web check-in and kiosk printed boarding passes. Eligible United passengers may see the indicator on mobile, at home web check-in and select kiosk printed boarding passes. Eligible US Airways passengers may see the indicator on mobile and at home web check-in boarding passes.

Q. If TSA Pre✓™ is unavailable at my departing airport, why is there a notification that I am eligible for expedited screening on my boarding pass?
A. All TSA Pre✓™ participants are vetted every time they fly. At this time TSA and the airlines are unable to filter out vetting results for flights departing from airports where TSA Pre✓™ is unavailable. Passengers are encouraged to check the list of participating TSA Pre✓™ airports. List of participating TSA Pre✓™ airports (pdf, 160kb)

Q. Do passengers with a TSA Pre✓™ indicator still have to have their boarding passes scanned at the TSA Pre✓™ lane?
A. Yes. TSA Officers at the document checking station in the TSA Pre✓™ lane will still need to scan the boarding passes to confirm TSA Pre✓™ status.

Q. Will passengers with a TSA Pre✓™ indicator on their boarding passes still be subject to random exclusion of TSA Pre✓™ benefits?
A. While passengers with the TSA Pre✓™ indicator have been pre-cleared to access the TSA Pre✓ ™ lane no passenger is ever guaranteed expedited screening. TSA continues to incorporate random, unpredictable screening measures.

Q. I thought I was eligible for TSA Pre✓™, why does my boarding pass not have an indicator for expedited screening?
A. At this time Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and US Airways are the only airlines notifying passengers of eligibility on boarding passes. Other TSA Pre✓™ participating airlines will implement similar notifications once operationally ready.