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I have TSA PreCheck® and CLEAR+ and use both services depending on which line is shorter. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently introduced another option for speeding through security called TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID. It’s been rolling out across the country with more airports being rapidly added. Where available, it has quickly become one of the fastest ways for TSA PreCheck® travelers to clear airport security. The service rivals CLEAR+ in that you don’t have to take out an ID, but it takes it a step further and you don’t even need to show a boarding pass. A major expansion is underway across the United States as the TSA is increasing the number of airports offering the service from 15 to 65 this spring (it currently sits at 58).
How Touchless ID Works
Touchless ID is available exclusively to TSA PreCheck® members and requires advance enrollment with each airline that you fly. Travelers must upload a valid US passport to their frequent flyer profiles. I have done this for American, Delta, and United. Enrollment is not automatic, even for PreCheck® members. Passengers may only use the Touchless ID lane when an indicator appears on their boarding pass (it’s usually green).
When available, passengers can proceed through a dedicated checkpoint where facial recognition technology verifies their identity. Participation remains voluntary and travelers can choose a traditional ID check instead.
Airlines Currently Offering Touchless ID
At present, Touchless ID is supported by five US airlines. These include:
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Southwest Airlines
- United Airlines
Airports Currently Participating and the Airlines Supported
- Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) (American, Southwest)
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) (American)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) (American)
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) (American)
- Boise Airport (BOI) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest)
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) (American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Charleston International Airport (CHS) (American, Delta, Southwest)
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) (American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) (Delta, Southwest)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) (American, Delta, Southwest)
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) (American, Delta, Southwest)
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) (American, Delta, United)
- Dallas Love Field (DAL) (Alaska, Delta, Southwest)
- Denver International Airport (DEN) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) (American)
- Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) (Alaska, American)
- Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) (Alaska, American, Delta, United)
- William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest)
- Indianapolis International Airport (IND) (Delta)
- Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) (American, Southwest)
- Kansas City International Airport (MCI) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Long Beach Airport (LGB) (Alaska, Delta, Southwest)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Miami International Airport (MIA) (American)
- Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) (Southwest)
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) (Alaska, American, Delta, United)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) (American, Delta, United)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) (Alaska, American)
- New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) (Alaska, American, Delta)
- New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) (American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) (Southwest)
- Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) (American)
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO) (American)
- Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) (American, Delta, Southwest)
- Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest)
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest)
- Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) (Delta, Southwest)
- Portland International Airport (PDX) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) (American, Delta)
- Sacramento International Airport (SMF) (American)
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- San Antonio International Airport (SAT) (Alaska, American)
- San Diego International Airport (SAN) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) (American, Delta, Southwest)
- San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) (Alaska)
- Tampa International Airport (TPA) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Tulsa International Airport (TUL) (American)
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) (Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) (Alaska, American, Delta, United)
Airports Being Added by Late Spring
- Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
- Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
- Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL)
- Nashville International Airport (BNA)
- Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD)
- Westchester County Airport (HPN)
Anthony’s Take: Once fully deployed, TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID will be available at 65 airports nationwide. Travelers should remember that enrollment is required in advance and that availability depends on airline participation and boarding pass eligibility. For frequent flyers with TSA PreCheck®, this is big news and will save even more time.
(Image Credits: TSA.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
