TSA Experience Report

[MineralMan]

No problems at either MSP or LAX. My wife and I just returned from a trip to California to visit my 92-year-old parents. We discovered that paying the extra $20 for exit row seats on Sun Country airlines also gets you a TSA Pre-Check flag on your boarding passes. That program speeds up the security screening process dramatically, I discovered.

Shoes stay on, belt stays on, and you don't have to take your Laptop out of the bag. Expedited service, too, with a separate line. I wasn't aware that the airline could give you that status on its own. Nice perk from Sun Country.

This was the first flight since my wife's hip replacement, too. She did have to go through the big x-ray, and got wanded, but still got to go in the pre-check line, which was way, way shorter than the regular line for security screening.

As usual, everyone at MSP airport was friendly, including the TSA. At LAX, Terminal 2, the TSA folks weren't smiling, but were polite and efficient.

Anecdotal information, of course. Your mileage might vary from our experience.

[LeftInTX]

1. We flew on the July 4th weekend SAT to MPS

Wasn't able to get a pre-check. The experience was like a stampede in a high school cafeteria. My husband had to help me.

[MineralMan]

2. I really try to avoid holiday travel.

It's a mess, and there are so many inexperienced travelers.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. If you travel often...

...you can avoid the wait by signing up for Clear: https://thepointsguy.com/2015/03/clear-expedited-airport-security-program-is-it-worthwhile/

What CLEAR costs
The normal rate for CLEAR membership is $179 per year, with an additional $50 per family member (remember, children under 18 receive free access with members). TPG readers can use the promo code CLEARTPG18 to get a discounted membership of $149 for the first year. You can either enter the code manually or use this link to input the code automatically. In addition, the Visa Signature program offers six months of free CLEAR membership and $60 off the $179 annual rate when you renew your membership automatically.

The program is operating at MSP now and is slated to begin operating at LAX soon.

[MindPilot]

5. They create a situation where air travelers are forced to wait in long lines for BS security checks.

and then generously offer to allow you to bypass the aforementioned long lines and BS security checks for the low, low price of just a few hundred dollars a year.

"Hey, ahh, nice flight you got there; be a shame if you didn't make it..."

Fuck TSA and their big-bank credit card partners-in-extortion.

[ksoze]

6. CLEAR is not TSA

CLEAR is a commercial line jumping business - does not include nor involve TSA PreCheck. $17 a year for TSA PreCheck is a no brainer. CLEAR is in mnay cases a waste of money (IMHO).

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

8. I tend to agree

Unless you fly VERY often and also have signed up for TSA PreCheck it's not worth it.
If you fly often, like once a week, PreCheck is worth it but not CLEAR.

If you fly very often (3 or more times a week) from very busy airports (LAX, ORD, ATL...) then CLEAR may be worth considering.

Airlines tend to give high status club members preference in selection for PreCheck.
AFAIK Sun Country doesn't have a club and may give those spending extra on seats/services preference.

[MindPilot]

9. Wow...that one passed you in both lanes.

[ksoze]

4. Your TSA PreCheck was likely random

If you do not officially have TSA PreCheck, you can still end up getting picked randomly for the TSA Pre line for flights - odds are that is what happened to you.

Paying extra for an exit seat or better seat, usually does not come with skipping a federal security requirement. With TSA Pre we have had friends or family who travel with us on a trip on our same booking number get the TSA check often, but otherwise it is random if you are not TSA approved.

Global Entry is the better purchase, at $100 for 5 years (it includes TSA PreCheck as well as expedited customs on international flights.

[MineralMan]

7. We got the same pre-check status the last time we

paid for exit row seats, as well. It looks like that airline is doing that, along with early boarding with the First Class passengers.

It's fine with me, since I buy the exit row for the extra legroom. I don't know if it's a standard thing or not, but I certainly don't mind.

[cwydro]

10. Good to hear.

I haven't flown in awhile, but used to do so all the time.

I've always been treated well by TSA.