TSA PreCheck Now Includes Teenagers

Good news for families traveling with teens! The TSA recently changed PreCheck rules to allow teens to accompany parents through airport security using the faster PreCheck lines.

Previously, children aged 12 and younger could go through security with parents, but teens had to use regular lines. Now, the entire family, including children under the age of 18, can pass through security together without teens needing to buy their own PreCheck membership. Children 18 and older will need their own membership or use the general line.

Along with faster clearance through security, this means teens do not need to remove laptops, liquids and large electronics from carry-on baggage. They also no longer need to remove shoes and jackets, all making it faster for families to get to the boarding gate.

The five-year TSA PreCheck membership is $78 and requires an in-person interview (some credit cards reimburse the cost of PreCheck membership as you use their card). Once approved, a traveler gets a number, which they include when making airline reservations. Membership is noted at the top of the boarding pass, so if you don’t see this, be sure to have an airline agent add it before you head for security.

Is PreCheck worth it? That depends on how often you travel, of course, but TSA estimates more than 90 percent of travelers with PreCheck have a wait of no longer than five minutes in a security line.