What’s the Point of TSA PreCheck Following the Shoe Policy Change?

I think TSA PreCheck is still worth it. I like the smooth process of keeping everything in my bag and the faster lines.

On Monday, TSA made a policy change that effectively ended the “shoes off at checkpoints” rule. An internal memo noted that a review of technological advancements and a reassessment of threat-level risks led to this change. This should improve the efficiency of checkpoints

This is nothing new for TSA PreCheck members though, as it has often been advertised as one of the benefits of the prescreening program. This means that this rule change slashes this benefit, which has led to some interesting discussions.

I touched on this a little bit in my initial post on Monday when I talked about this policy change. I said that I was curious to see if this changes the value of the TSA PreCheck program for some people, especially considering that getting rid of “shoes off” should have some impact on how fast the regular line moves.

I still think it’s worth it though, for a couple of reasons:

Electronics in My Bag, a Smooth Process

Perhaps my favorite thing about PreCheck is how smooth the whole process is, as I’m able to keep my electronics and liquids inside my bags. I throw everything in my pockets (phone, wallet, keys) into my bag, throw everything onto the belt, and that’s it. I walk through the metal detector and pick up my bags.

And yes, I’ve heard the argument of “oh, but some airports with new scanners let you keep your electronics in your bags!” But until I’m certain that I can consistently do that at every airport in the country, I’ll be sticking with PreCheck.

Even if some airports do allow you to keep everything in your bag, you’re always playing the guessing game at each checkpoint. “Will they let me keep my computer in my backpack today?” “I wonder what this airport does for electronics?”

PreCheck Lines Still Move Faster

For several reasons, including:

  • Full body scanner vs the metal detector. The body scanners in the general lane require more time to stand there, scan for 2-3 seconds, before you can roll through. Any belts and small items forgotten in pockets will get caught up by the TSOs for additional inspection, slowing things down.
  • There are definitely more frequent flyers in TSA PreCheck. Most of them are experienced, know what to do, and make the line move efficiently (This is also why 8am Monday morning flights between hubs tend to run smoothly).

The Conversations and Discussions

There was a similar discussion on Reddit earlier today that talked about these exact points. The post was questioning the value of the PreCheck program with the policy change, with many others noting the other benefits of it, like the faster lines.

This was my favorite comment from the discussion:

Comment
byu/Salty_Permit4437 from discussion
intsa

I think the “you don’t have to take your shoes off” policy was a big appeal to many regarding TSA PreCheck, even though it wasn’t the biggest or only benefit of the program. It’s easy to talk about it in a casual conversation, and TSA advertised it a lot for the program. But we can’t forget the other benefits surrounding the electronics and the separate line.

    I’ll be able to get a feel for how this all is in a couple of weeks. I’m going through the Terminal 8 checkpoint at JFK at around midnight when TSA PreCheck is closed. I have to line up in the regular line with everyone else while I’m given a slip that tells the TSOs that I don’t have to take my liquids, electronics, and other stuff out of my bags. How much of an advantage will this be amid the general queue? How will the general queue be moving? I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes.

    What do you guys think?

    Featured image by the author.

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    1. People who pay attention to points and travel blogs are so likely to have a credit card that reimburses TSA Pre that any discussion of ‘worth it’ seems moot. It costs no effort and no money to renew.

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