Could Transportation Security Administration checkpoints someday look more like the self-checkout line at the grocery store? That might just be the case.
Last week, I traveled to Las Vegas to check out a new self-service checkpoint concept the agency is testing. Safe to say, it’s a wildly different airport security experience than most of us are used to.
You can speed through without ever talking with an agent. There are no single-file-line bottlenecks here, either. If the person in front of you is still fiddling with their jacket and phone, you can go right around them.
The TSA is specifically trying this concept out with TSA PreCheck passengers.
It’s not clear when — if ever — this model might expand elsewhere. But I got a strong sense from talking with the TSA that it is continually hoping to improve the efficiency of the PreCheck program, which remains a “must-have” for frequent travelers looking for shorter lines and fewer hurdles like removing shoes or laptops.
Yes, a five-year TSA PreCheck membership costs $78 for first-time applicants — or $100 if you apply through Global Entry and get it that way — but several travel credit cards reimburse you for the application fee, essentially making your membership free.
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