Most frequent travelers have TSA Pre-Check

CHICAGO, IL – Seventy percent of those who fly five or more times per year have TSA Pre-Check, according to surveys conducted by GO Airport Express and GO Airport Shuttle.

TSA Pre-Check is an expedited security screening process for those departing the U.S., which allows users to be processed without being subjected to long security lines or the indignity of shoe and clothing removal. The fee starts at $85 and is valid for five years.

Of the 380 survey respondents, just 12 percent of travelers in general have purchased TSA Pre-Check. Of those who have not done so, 11 percent noted they planned to in the next two years; 44 percent said they did not plan to do so and 21 percent were unsure.

At 31 percent, the majority of those who were not planning on purchasing the program said they don’t travel enough to make it worthwhile. Thirteen percent noted it was just too expensive in general. Almost six percent said they don’t mind waiting in line and five percent said they weren’t aware this program was available.

Comments by respondents included they already had pre-check due to frequent flier status, or it was automatic through their credit cards. Others said they were ineligible for various reasons, such as not being a U.S. citizen.

“TSA Pre-Check offers a valuable and convenient service for those who spend a lot of time in airports, but it is still cost-prohibitive for many.” says John McCarthy, president, GO Airport Express. “If air travel contuse to trend up, we expect more participants in the program.”