You’ve been here before – running through the terminal at 5am, belt halfway on, hoping to reach your gate on time. In addition to the giant security line, you were chosen as the threat of the morning who deserved a wanding, pat-down, and further questioning. Assuming you arrived at your gate in the nick of time, your running-induced sweat still haunts you for the first hour of your flight.
My jaw is tensing up just thinking about this.
What if there was an easier way to airport?
Of course, time management plays into this scenario, but there are also numerous uncontrollable factors which can make traveling by air a pain in the ass. It wasn’t until I discovered TSA PreCheck that the act of traveling became simple and (at times) splendid. Here are a few reasons why you should consider becoming a member:
1. Simplify Security
As thankful as I am for heightened security, it makes the airport experience much less convenient:
- First, you wait in a line that never seems to end
- Second, you strip down to a base layer of clothing, remove your electronic devices and liquids, and triple-check your pockets for anything vaguely metallic
- Third, you pray nothing is flagged as you walk through the metal detector
- Fourth, if you walk through unscathed, you still have to gather your belongings, re-dress, and take deep breaths to calm the anxiety you were just feeling.
With TSA PreCheck, you still put your belongings and body through a scanner, but you don’t need to remove the following:
- Shoes
- Laptops
- Liquids
- Belts
- Light Jackets
It may not seem like a lot, but this makes the process much more simple. If minimalist travel is a thing, registering for PreCheck is the prerequisite.
2. Line-Skip Luxuriously
As dumb as it might sound, the first time I chose the TSA PreCheck security line instead of the “normal” line, I felt like royalty. The red carpet was rolled out in my mind, and I felt the jealousy of fifty people as their eyes followed me to the front of the line.
If only they knew it cost a mere $85 for five years of this privilege. Yep – $17/year for luxury and peace of mind while traveling. It’s an upgrade of your airport experience from coach to first class without paying through the nose for the privilege.
3. Time Travel
What brings the simplicity and luxury together to make TSA PreCheck a must-purchase for minimalist travelers? It lowers stress and creates time. Even if it only saves five minutes, that could be enough time to pick up a latte on the way to your gate or mentally calm yourself before a long flight.
TSA PreCheck is inherently minimalist because instead of trading money for clutter (which likely takes up more of your time), it trades money for a time-creating service. It makes the experience of security (which can’t be avoided) simpler, less stressful, and quicker, which in turn gives you more time to focus on what really matters.
Should everyone get TSA PreCheck?
There are a few instances where this service isn’t valuable, so if you fall into one/more of these categories, it might be worth saving your $85 for something else:
- You don’t live in the U.S.
- Currently TSA PreCheck is a U.S. only service, so if you live overseas or aren’t a U.S. Citizen, Global Entry may be a better program to consider.
- You rarely fly
- I would argue that flying once a year is still enough to make the service valuable, but if you fly even less than that or don’t fly to airports that accept the service (you can check here), you’re better off spending the money elsewhere.
- You don’t have the funds
- TSA PreCheck is clearly a luxury, so if your budget can’t handle the expense, it’s best to wait; however, I’d encourage you to search for possible savings elsewhere in order to make room for the service.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been on the fence about TSA PreCheck or had no idea what it was, I hope this information has been helpful and will provide value when it comes to your travel. Just like with simplifying my wardrobe, signing up for this service has simplified flying, created a more luxurious experience, and opened up time for priorities.
Convinced? Sign up here!