TSA PreCheck Hits Record: 20 Million Travelers Enrolled

If you have the feeling that more and more of your friends, family, and travel companions suddenly have access to TSA PreCheck, you’re not imagining it.

The Transportation Security Agency said Thursday that the program has reached a new milestone: more than 20 million enrollees.

It’s the latest evidence of the program’s meteoric growth, which has lasted 11 years. The program offers pre-screened, paying members a fast track through airport security.

TSA PreCheck is growing at a rapid pace

How fast is TSA PreCheck growing? Consider this: The program reached 15 million active members as of March 2023. That means it has grown by a third in less than 18 months.

And TSA leaders are happy about it.

While the program is a convenient and time-saving option for travelers, the TSA also appreciates it: A growing pool of pre-screened travelers helps the agency operate its checkpoints more efficiently.

“TSA PreCheck continues to be one of our most innovative risk-based security solutions, offering the benefit of less than 10-minute wait times, increased checkpoint efficiency and improved security,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement Thursday.

What is TSA PreCheck?

Launched in 2013, TSA PreCheck allows screened members who have paid their membership fee to access dedicated, shorter lines at checkpoints. Authorized members do not have to remove shoes or small liquids from carry-on bags before sending their belongings through the scanner.

For new members, the membership fee for a five-year membership is $78. However, several travel credit cards will refund the fee, which has dropped in recent years.

It’s not just the PreCheck program that’s seeing rapid growth.

Learn More: Important Things to Know About TSA PreCheck

Global Entry is also seeing strong growth

In total, more than 40 million travelers are now members of Trusted Traveler Programs overseen by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This includes Global Entry, whose members also have access to PreCheck lanes.

That enrollment has quadrupled since the start of 2022, when DHS reported reaching 10 million trusted travelers. That’s largely due to unprecedented demand for Global Entry, which has continued to bring a flood of new applicants into 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection told me earlier this year.

Learn more: TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry: Which is Right for You?

TSA PreCheck Enrollment

Despite a significant increase in TSA PreCheck enrollment, the agency says the vast majority of enrollees are waiting less than 10 minutes in expedited security lanes.

It has also recently added new third-party enrollment partners, including Clear and Telos. The latter has opened dozens of enrollment locations across the country, most notably at Office Depot and OfficeMax stores.

According to the TSA, approximately 90% of PreCheck requests take three to five days to process.

TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry

TSA PreCheck is cheaper than Global Entry, at $78 for new applicants for a five-year membership. Global Entry currently costs $100 for five years, and the fee will increase to $120 in October. (Some credit cards reimburse these fees.)

For many travelers, Global Entry remains a more convenient option, offering both a fast-track experience at CBP ports after an international flight and access to the PreCheck lane. The simpler PreCheck program offers only the latter.

However, if you only travel internationally occasionally, such as once a year, you may prefer to simply apply for the cheaper TSA PreCheck program and simply use CBP’s free Mobile Passport Control app upon returning from an international flight.

Learn more: Ways to Get Discounts on TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and Clear

In conclusion

The TSA PreCheck program continues to grow at a rapid pace, with 20 million active members, plus millions more who have access to expedited security screening through other programs like Global Entry.

However, TSA PreCheck continues to be an important time-saving option, according to the agency. It is also exploring innovations for the program, such as the self-service pilot program I visited earlier this year at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas.

Gaining access to the aisles, whether through PreCheck or Global Entry, remains one of the best ways to save time and stress at the airport.

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