New Study: Make TSA PreCheck free to save time and money

A new study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign suggests making TSA PreCheck registration free would save the agency millions of dollars a year. TSA PreCheck enrollment allows travelers entry to expedited security lines and freedom from shedding shoes, belts and light jackets, and fussing with laptops.

Signing up with the TSA PreCheck program requires fingerprinting, an FBI background check, and an $85 processing fee. As of December 2016, there were 12 million enrolled in the program. The TSA has a goal of 25 million travelers enrolled by 2019. The U of I study recommends making enrollment free – at least for frequent flyers – to save millions of dollars, and help the TSA reach their goal. 

The study finds that it’s 4 times more efficient to screen passengers though PreCheck than the usual slow airport security lines. Twenty-five million people enrolled in the Precheck program would result in 300 million faster screenings per year, with an estimated $459 million savings. Allowing frequent travelers to enroll for free would cost an estimated $425 million a year, resulting in a net savings of $34 million.

The fee is not the only barrier to enrollment. Some might find fingerprinting and an FBI check intrusive. Some might not like the hassle of the time and the special trip to an enrollment facility. However, a recent Airlines for America survey found that significantly more people reported a better travel experience with the use of expedited screening programs: 49% for PreCheck, and 67% for the Global Entry program (expedited clearance for entry into the US), as compared to 35% of travelers overall.


Making airport PreCheck free could save TSA millions: report 

Mary Wisniewski, Contact Reporter for the Chicago Tribune, December 5, 2016