TSA PreCheck Touchless ID: How It Works

When you’ve got TSA PreCheck, there could be a greater strategy to undergo airport safety: Touchless ID.

The Transportation Safety Administration presents this program for TSA PreCheck members, permitting for a hands-free verification course of. The Touchless ID program makes use of facial recognition know-how to confirm your id, eliminating the necessity so that you can fumble in your driver’s license on the safety checkpoint. You’ll even get entry to a devoted Touchless ID safety lane that allows you to lower in entrance of everybody else.

The pilot program initially launched in 2021 with Delta Air Strains in Detroit, however it’s expanded considerably in recent times with the addition of extra airports and airways, together with Alaska Airways, United Airways and most just lately American Airways in 2025.

Utilizing TSA’s facial recognition screening program can prevent a ton of time at airport checkpoints, however you’ll must decide in.

Nonetheless, not all airports and airways take part within the Touchless ID program, so it helps to know when and the place you’re eligible for this system. Right here’s how one can make the most of TSA PreCheck Touchless ID in your subsequent journey.

This system at present has 10 collaborating airports serving eight main metro areas.

• Atlanta: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL).

• Chicago: Chicago O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD).

• Detroit: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).

• Las Vegas: Harry Reid Worldwide Airport (LAS).

• Los Angeles: Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX).

• New York Metropolis: John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR).

• Salt Lake Metropolis: Salt Lake Metropolis Worldwide Airport (SLC).

• Washington: Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA).

Flying from a collaborating airport doesn’t assure it is possible for you to to make use of Touchless ID; you additionally must fly on an airline that participates in this system at that particular airport. Not all safety checkpoints supply Touchless ID, both, so there are situations the place a collaborating airline might not have entry to Touchless ID, even when its flights depart from a collaborating airport.

Take EWR, for instance, the place Touchless ID is just out there at Terminal C. As a result of that terminal is used completely by United, different collaborating airways don’t have entry to Touchless ID on the airport. In case your United flight is departing from Terminal A, you gained’t have Touchless ID entry both.

Right here’s an inventory of airports the place Touchless ID is on the market relying on the airline you’re flying with:

To make use of Touchless ID, you have to be a TSA PreCheck member and decide in to take part. You possibly can select to decide in in your profile with an airline or whenever you examine in on-line.

You’ll additionally want to ensure your info with the airline is updated, together with your Recognized Traveler Quantity and passport particulars. That means, the federal authorities will have the ability to match your picture on the day of journey with different images you’ve offered to the federal government, comparable to out of your passport.

When you’re keen on collaborating in Touchless ID, it’s finest to set it up in your airline profile. For instance, on the United app, you may go to the Account tab and choose “TSA PreCheck and journey paperwork.” There you’ll discover the choice to decide in to the Touchless ID program.

In my expertise, opting in is a one-and-done activity. Now, each time I examine in on-line for an eligible journey, I mechanically get entry to Touchless ID.

Many journey bank cards embrace a press release credit score that covers the price of making use of for a trusted traveler program like TSA PreCheck or World Entry (which incorporates TSA PreCheck).

For individuals who journey solely throughout the U.S., a TSA PreCheck membership must be sufficient. Nonetheless, frequent worldwide flyers will profit from having World Entry, which expedites the clearance course of when re-entering the U.S.

You should use TSA PreCheck Touchless ID solely if in case you have a cellular boarding cross with the Touchless ID indicator. Meaning you’ll must examine in on-line or by way of your airline’s app to take part.

Whereas every airline’s cellular boarding cross design is completely different, it’s best to have the ability to see the Touchless ID indicator, which is a inexperienced human icon subsequent to the TSA PreCheck brand.

As an iPhone consumer, I discover this to be a handy course of since I can retailer my boarding cross in my digital pockets for straightforward entry.

Boarding passes printed at an airport kiosk is not going to present the Touchless ID indicator, even when it seems in your cellular boarding cross.

You’ll want to indicate your boarding cross with the indicator to the agent on the entrance of the Touchless ID lane. Since this program is comparatively new, I’ve by no means seen greater than 4 or 5 individuals ready within the devoted lane.

As soon as it’s your flip, the TSA officer will wave you up and ask you to face in a chosen spot to have your picture taken.

That is the place the Touchless ID and commonplace TSA PreCheck strains merge earlier than the bags screening space, and I’ve discovered that the officers usually prioritize of us who’re utilizing Touchless ID.

You gained’t want to indicate your boarding cross or your bodily ID (though it’s best to nonetheless have your bodily ID as a backup in case it’s wanted). After your id is verified, the officer will allow you to proceed. It’s actually that simple.

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is actually a game-changer in terms of airport safety screening. It’s a free profit for TSA PreCheck members, and it’s the quickest strategy to cross by way of safety checkpoints, for my part.

The largest draw back is its restricted availability. It is advisable to fly not solely from particular airports, but in addition on particular airways. In case your journey plans don’t match up with what’s out there, then you definitely’re out of luck. For instance, Southwest Airways is without doubt one of the largest carriers within the U.S. — definitely larger than Alaska Airways — and it doesn’t take part in Touchless ID.

Nonetheless, it’s simple and value it to decide in to this system. In spite of everything, safety strains may be unpredictable, and also you by no means know when having Touchless ID might save your journey day.

Nonetheless, it’s additionally good to produce other choices out there. One instrument that I’ve is CLEAR+®, which makes use of biometric know-how to hurry up the id verification course of. This system isn’t free, however some premium journey playing cards embrace a press release credit score that covers the price of annual membership.

Though I’ve discovered Touchless ID to be quicker, there are devoted CLEAR lanes at greater than 55 airports, making it a extra helpful choice for a lot of vacationers.