TSA PreCheck Touchless ID: How It Works – NerdWallet

If in case you have TSA PreCheck, there is likely to be a greater approach to undergo airport safety: Touchless ID.

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

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

Utilizing TSA’s facial recognition screening program can prevent a ton of time at airport checkpoints, however you’ll have to 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 the moment has 10 collaborating airports serving eight main metro areas.

Flying from a collaborating airport doesn’t assure it is possible for you to to make use of Touchless ID; you additionally have to fly on an airline that participates in this system at that particular airport. Not all safety checkpoints provide Touchless ID, both, so there are cases the place a collaborating airline could 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 obtainable 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 a listing of airports the place Touchless ID is out there 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’ll be able to select to decide in in your profile with an airline or whenever you verify in on-line.

You’ll additionally want to verify your data with the airline is updated, together with your Recognized Traveler Quantity and passport particulars. That manner, the federal authorities will have the ability to match your photograph on the day of journey with different pictures you’ve offered to the federal government, akin to out of your passport.

In the event you’re focused on collaborating in Touchless ID, it’s greatest 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, every time I verify in on-line for an eligible journey, I routinely get entry to Touchless ID.

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

For many who journey solely inside the U.S., a TSA PreCheck membership needs to be sufficient. Nonetheless, frequent worldwide flyers will profit from having International Entry, which expedites the clearance course of when re-entering the U.S.

You should utilize TSA PreCheck Touchless ID solely if in case you have a cellular boarding go with the Touchless ID indicator. Which means you’ll have to verify in on-line or by your airline’s app to take part.

Whereas every airline’s cellular boarding go 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 person, I discover this to be a handy course of since I can retailer my boarding go in my digital pockets for straightforward entry.

Boarding passes printed at an airport kiosk won’t present the Touchless ID indicator, even when it seems in your cellular boarding go.

You’ll want to indicate your boarding go 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 photograph taken.

That is the place the Touchless ID and customary TSA PreCheck strains merge earlier than the luggage 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 go or your bodily ID (though it’s best to nonetheless have your bodily ID as a backup in case it’s wanted). After your identification is verified, the officer will allow you to proceed. It’s actually that straightforward.

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is really a game-changer on the subject of airport safety screening. It’s a free profit for TSA PreCheck members, and it’s the quickest approach to go by safety checkpoints, for my part.

The most important draw back is its restricted availability. It’s good to fly not solely from particular airports, but additionally on particular airways. In case your journey plans don’t match up with what’s obtainable, you then’re out of luck. For instance, Southwest Airways is among the largest carriers within the U.S. — actually greater than Alaska Airways — and it doesn’t take part in Touchless ID.

Nonetheless, it’s straightforward and value it to decide in to this system. In any case, 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 obtainable. One device that I’ve is CLEAR+®, which makes use of biometric expertise to hurry up the identification verification course of. This system isn’t free, however some premium journey playing cards embody a press release credit score that covers the price of annual membership.

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