Airport Etiquette – Is It Okay To Ditch Your Companion For TSA PreCheck?
In the security line at JFK yesterday as my mother and I prepared to depart for Chile yesterday, I was told that my boarding pass was cleared for TSA PreCheck and I faced an airport etiquette conundrum – should I abandon my mom in the longer security line and go through the much quicker PreCheck without her, or should I stick with her and wait?
I was surprised that I was allowed to use PreCheck since according to the FAQ page on the TSA site, At this time, TSA Pre✓™ is only available for passengers traveling domestically on participating airlines. If any leg of an itinerary is international, the passenger will not qualify for TSA Pre✓™ for that itinerary and will go through traditional screening.
I’m not sure if it was just a glitch or if the TSA is relaxing this rule for the domestic legs of international itineraries, but it was an interesting situation.
I was going to stay in the Priority AAccess line with my mom (we were flying business class and it looked like it would only take 10 minutes), but she said I was being silly and that I should go through PreCheck since why go through the hassle of taking off my shoes, getting my laptop out and taking out my liquids if I didn’t have to?
So I did. And that’s when the reader comments started coming in on Facebook and Twitter!
I had Tweeted: “I qualified for Precheck but my mom didn't so I left her in the regular elite line. Am I a bad son?”
And here’s what folks on Twitter had to say:
“Depends on how hard your shoes, belt, etc. were to get on and off. ;)”
“Within a month of Mother's Day?? Unacceptable”
“Ok, if you wait for her some points are redeemed (no pun intended)”
“She probably would have done the same." You're right!
On Facebook people were even more opinionated. Here are some of my favorite comments:
“Yes. Man up and wait for her. She waited around 9 months waiting for you. Not sure business class and Easter Island tops bringing you into the world. You owe her big time.”
"Lol! I don't think so. Plus, I'm sure you got her ticket in the first place. You already scored bonus points for spending time with Mom!"
“Not if you show up with coffee and donuts at the other end.”
“Tell her to meet you in the lounge!” Well I did take her with me to the Flagship Lounge, which got me out of the doghouse.
“I left my GF in immigration today whilst I strolled through Global Entry.”
“I think you can leave spouses or other traveling companions... but maybe not a mom. Bet she wasn't bothered about it though.”
“And at least she got the elite lane. It's not like you abandoned her to a 45 minute wait!”
I loved this one: “I had enough points for only one first class ticket - so I left my husband in economy - am I a bad wife!?”
And then there was my mom's response on Facebook: "Actually Brian did start out in line with me but I encouraged him to do the TSA access. He is a good guy - and, yes, I will be accepting flowers and alcohol."
In the end, my mom didn’t care at all, and I only beat her through by a couple minutes and was waiting for her on the other end. Plus we had lots of quality time ahead of us on our flights to Miami and then on to Santiago.
But it did raise some interesting questions about the dynamics of traveling with a less-frequent or less-elite flyer who can’t go through expedited security and I wanted to hear what all of you think?
[poll id="33"]
How about with Global Entry, where customs and immigration lines can be very long...
[poll id="34"]
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.