What is TSA PreCheck? Requirements, Benefits, & More

May 17, 2024

Asiana Airlines Flight Cancellation Policy

May 21, 2024

How to Add TSA PreCheck to Your Airline Ticket – Getting through airport security can be troublesome. TSA PreCheck is a membership program offered through the Transportation Security Administration. With it, travelers get access to an expedited screening lane at participating airports. In this guide, we will get to know how to add TSA PreCheck to Your Airline Ticket.

Unlike travelers in the standard screening lane, those with TSA PreCheck can keep their shoes, belts, and light jackets on. Plus, they can leave electronics and 3-1-1 liquids in carry-on bags during screening.

Access to the TSA PreCheck line is only granted if you have a TSA PreCheck logo on your boarding pass indicating that you’re clear for access. That means you first have to apply for TSA PreCheck. And once you have it, you’ll have to submit your TSA PreCheck information to your airline at the booking stage.

But if you forgot — or just didn’t have a TSA PreCheck number at the time of booking — no worries. You can add TSA PreCheck to your airline ticket after the fact. Here’s your ultimate guide to adding TSA PreCheck to your airline ticket, including adding TSA PreCheck after booking.

Airfare Policy has spelled out the specific steps for adding PreCheck to your reservation on four major airlines — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines — but the process is largely similar no matter what airline you fly.

You can contact the customer support hotline at +1-866-952-7309 anytime for assistance.

Table of Contents

How to get TSA PreCheck

To apply for TSA PreCheck, you’ll pay a fee, submit personal information for a background check and attend an in-person interview. The application fee is $78, and membership is good for five years, which breaks down to $15.60 per year.

However, many travel credit cards reimburse the application fee simply for charging the application fee to that charge.

After the initial application fee to join the program, TSA PreCheck renewal — which is every five years to continue membership — costs $70 if completed online.

Each airline has its own process for adding TSA PreCheck to a ticket or to your frequent flyer profile. But no matter the airline, you’ll need your Known Traveler Number (KTN), which is the string of 9 or 10 digit-long numbers or letters unique to you if approved for TSA PreCheck. Note that adding your KTN to a ticket does not necessarily guarantee that it will be automatically applied to your next reservation.

That said, here’s a step-by-step guide to how to add TSA PreCheck to American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.

In case of any confusion, contact Airfare Policy at the toll-free number +1-866-952-7309.

How To Add TSA PreCheck to Your American Airlines Ticket

The easiest way to add PreCheck to a ticket on American Airlines is to update your AAdvantage profile with your Known Traveler Number (KTN).

Log in and go to “Your Account.” Choose “Information and Password,” then add your PreCheck number in the KTN field in the “Secure Traveler” section.

Adding your Known Traveler Number to new AA bookings	Adding your Known Traveler Number to existing AA reservations
American Airlines allows travelers to add their TSA PreCheck number at booking. After you’ve chosen your flight date and time, you’ll enter your passenger details.	You can also add TSA PreCheck to your existing reservation on American Airlines. To do so, click on “Manage Trip” for each reservation.
If you’re not logged in to your AAdvantage account, you’ll need to enter your PreCheck number manually in the Known Traveler Number field.	Then, click on “Add/Edit Passenger Information” to add your PreCheck number.
Otherwise American Airlines AAdvantage can enter their KTN once and opt for American Airlines to ‘remember’ it, thus automatically adding it to future bookings.	You can also call American Airlines customer service to have them update your information, but the online self-service option is generally quicker.

Ways To Add TSA PreCheck to Your Delta Airlines Ticket

To add PreCheck to Delta, after your PreCheck application has been approved, log in to your Delta SkyMiles account to update your profile. The TSA PreCheck/Known Traveler ID field can be found under “Personal Details.”

Adding your Known Traveler Number to new Delta bookings	Adding your Known Traveler Number to existing Delta reservations
To add your PreCheck KTN to a new reservation, the best way is to first log in to your Delta SkyMiles account.	Can you add TSA PreCheck to an existing reservation Delta? Yes, those reservations can also be updated to add your PreCheck number.
This will automatically populate most of your personal information necessary to complete your purchase, including adding your PreCheck number to your reservation.	Find your reservation on Delta’s website, then edit your passenger details to update your information.
If you don’t have a Delta SkyMiles account or aren’t logged in, you can add your Known Traveler Number manually during the booking process when entering your passenger information.

Confused? Call Airfare Policy now at +1-866-952-7309.

How To Add TSA PreCheck to Your SouthWest Airlines Ticket

Southwest flyers can add their PreCheck membership information at several steps.

Adding your Known Traveler Number to new Southwest bookings	Adding your Known Traveler Number to existing Southwest reservations
Enter your PreCheck KTN during the booking process. After you’ve chosen your flight dates and times, you’ll enter your name in the “Who’s Flying?” section. Below that, there is a dropdown menu for “Secure Traveler Information.”	Adding TSA PreCheck to an existing Southwest reservation is pretty straightforward.
Click that button, then enter your PreCheck number in the “Known Traveler #” field.	After you log in to your Southwest account, you can manually edit each flight to add your PreCheck number before check-in or call customer service and ask that they do it for you.
This will make sure that your PreCheck number will be submitted along with your information to TSA’s Secure Flight system for processing.	You can also add your PreCheck KTN to your Southwest Rapid Rewards member profile. This allows your information to be automatically sent to TSA when booking reservations when you’re logged in to your account.

Ways To Add TSA PreCheck to Your United Airlines Ticket

Finally, here’s how to add TSA PreCheck to a United ticket.

Adding your Known Traveler Number to new United bookings	Adding your Known Traveler Number to United after booking
When booking a reservation, your PreCheck number will automatically populate when you’re logged in to your United MileagePlus account. You can also manually add it to a reservation during the booking process.	You can also update existing reservations with your TSA PreCheck number. Go to “Edit Traveler Information” in the “Manage Reservations” section on the website, at an airport kiosk or in the United app.
After entering your personal information, click on the “Known Traveler Number and Redress Number” dropdown menu.	To add your PreCheck number to your United MileagePlus profile, log in and view your personal information.
Enter your PreCheck number in the “Known Traveler Number/PASS ID” field.	Click on “Profile and Preferences” and find the “Saved Travel Documents and Numbers” section. You’ll be able to update your profile with your PreCheck number here.

Finally, you can add TSA PreCheck to your airlines ticket anytime with assistance from Airfare Policy. Call at +1-866-952-7309.

Key Takeaways

Once you’re approved for TSA PreCheck, your benefits are not automatically applied to your flight reservations. You’ll have to share your Known Traveler Number with your airline. Only then does the TSA PreCheck logo get added to your boarding pass so you can go through the speedy lane.

Get assistance over call from Airfare Policy by calling at the toll-free number +1-866-952-7309.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to add TSA PreCheck to existing flights?

If you didn’t include your TSA PreCheck number when booking a flight, it’s possible to add it later. You can usually add it through the airline’s mobile app or contact the airline online or by phone at +1-866-952-7309 to add it to a reservation.

Does TSA PreCheck work for international flights?

Yes. TSA PreCheck is available when you depart from a U.S. airport to a foreign country, and for domestic, connecting flights after you return to the United States. If you travel internationally four or more times a year, consider enrolling in Global Entry instead of TSA PreCheck.