TSA PreCheck Touchless ID just became much easier to use thanks to Google Wallet
One of the most effective new time-saving travel shortcuts is now easier to access.
Google Wallet is the first digital wallet partner for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID. The program streamlines the opt-in process, allowing more people to skip long security lines by using TSA's secure facial comparison. The new partnership between the Transportation Security Administration and Google is a big deal for a program that was operating at only a few airports just a few short years ago.
Touchless ID is currently available for use with more than 100 airlines at more than 60 airports across the U.S. It has been an instant hit for eligible travelers because it saves time and is incredibly convenient — and I speak from personal experience.
At my home airport, Miami International Airport (MIA), the Touchless ID lane helped my daughters and me breeze through security by bypassing the packed regular PreCheck line.
The Google Wallet integration will roll out over the next few weeks. It comes at a time when summer travel is ramping up and airports brace for packed terminals. Anything that shaves precious time off the security checkpoint experience will be a certified win for passengers. "This collaboration aligns perfectly with our goal to make digital experiences more secure and convenient," P.J. Linarducci, Google's vice president of product management, said.
Touchless ID users get to skip the normal TSA PreCheck lines, and they don't have to struggle to find their passport or driver's license at a security checkpoint while juggling a coffee cup and carry-on bag. Instead of official documents, TSA takes a photo to confirm a passenger's identity. TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is available at no additional cost to eligible TSA PreCheck members, including travelers who receive TSA PreCheck benefits through Global Entry.
The process is fairly straightforward in Google Wallet:
- Check in with a participating airline and add your boarding pass to Google Wallet.
- Eligible travelers with a qualifying digital ID will see the "Get Started" button; when you click it, you'll be automatically redirected to TSA's consent page.
- Once you click through, you will authorize the sharing of your digital ID and boarding pass with TSA in Google Wallet.
- TSA will confirm by sending a success code back to Google Wallet.
- Your boarding pass updates with the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID indicator, meaning you're cleared to use the dedicated Touchless ID lane.
You also won't have to enroll separately for Touchless ID with each airline, as is currently the case. Previously, TSA PreCheck Touchless ID required manual passport uploads for every individual airline. "Now, you can securely opt in just once through Google Wallet," Google communications manager Jas Peterson wrote in an email to TPG.
Bottom line
If you're a TSA PreCheck member and an Android user, going Touchless ID with Google Wallet makes too much sense. So, be sure to do it before your next trip.
And for travelers who don't use Google Wallet, you can still manually opt into the Touchless ID program by adding a valid passport to their profile with the following participating airlines: Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest, or United.
Related reading:
- 8 ways to get free or discounted TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear
- What to do if a boarding pass isn't marked TSA PreCheck
- TSA PreCheck hits record 20 million members — up 33% since last year
- It's official: Travelers no longer have to remove shoes at TSA checkpoints
- Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is more beneficial?