As Ben recently reported, at a handful of airports TSA now lets those with Pre-Check (including Global Entry) go through security even if not flying. You have to sign up 1-3 days ahead of time, and a minor can be added to an adult's sign-up. Discussions on Ben's post talked about the utility of this…
Well done, jallan! Glad you 'tested' this out, and that it went well (sorta). Wild that you were one of the first people that the TSA agent had encountered using the new program. Good to know about the time-frame to apply (1-3 days ahead of time), so this really can't be a last-minute thing. And, also, that the mere confirmation might not be enough; like, having to login to their webpage, find the 'three lines at the top right,' show the names, etc. Surely, this could be easier. Hope they will improve it. Thanks again for sharing your findings with us. Glad your family members returned safely as well. That must've been a pleasant surprise for them to see you waiting at the gate!
Cool that you checked it out, but feels like the type of thing where it's easier to just buy a ticket with miles and cancel it after you are through security (or after you are done waiting in the lounge). Then it's irrelevant if you have pre-check or not. I wouldn't do that regularly, but once in a blue moon...
As far as slight "Unethical Life Pro Tips" go, those cancel-before-departure-for-a-full-refund policies could also be 'helpful' for lounge access... *whistling* ...anyhoo.
Great article. I am going to do this in Tampa because there are some really nice restaurants that I want to visit Airside. Thanks !
You're not kidding! At TPA, near gate E68, there's a Columbia Restaurant location (huge fan of their 1905 salad). Sure, it's not the original in Ybor City, but it's still quite nice!
Sounds clumsy at rollout (the web UI in particular), but handy to have for several situations!!
I also wonder how airports that don't have a pre-check lane will do with this (some close down early in the day, or have checkpoints that never had a dedicated lane, like several of the checkpoints in MIA).
Thanks for reviewing it.
I initially viewed this program as a slightly gimmicky way to access airport restaurants or lounges without flying, but this is probably the best argument I’ve seen for the program. There’s something nice about being able to meet a family member at the gate again, particularly with a child in tow, or helping an elderly family member through the airport without relying on the wheelchair assistance. Funny that something which was once completely ordinary now feels like a novel airport experience.
Most lounges do not let you in without an explicit boarding pass for a departing flight. Airports like Seattle have had programs to let non ticketed pax through security for years now, with advance reservation, but you've never been able to access a lounge with that. The purpose is for meeting friends and family at the gate or seeing them off to the gate, pre-9/11 style.
I'd be curious what you showed to the line guardian before getting to the TSA agent. They typically want to see the Precheck icon on a boarding pass. Does whatever TSA gives you on the website look like a boarding pass and have a precheck icon?