Free TSA Pre-Check With Southwest?

[richmo]

It's funny since I remember maybe about a year ago now there were a bunch of news releases basically saying that TSA PreCheck freebies were going to be eliminated or severely cut back. I've flown about 4 or 5 roundtrips since then and I've received more freebies than ever. I think I've gotten one every time out of PHL and all but once coming back from MCO and did get one coming back from FLL. I don't think I got one out of TTN, but they're so small it doesn't make much difference. I'm not sure its airline related, but I've been getting them pretty consistently on Southwest. I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but I always make sure I (and all passengers with me) have frequent flyer numbers with the airline.

 

[arminnie]

Once upon a time I had a secret security clearance. Before retirement I literally flew tens of thousands of miles a year - much of it international.

I'm not 75 yet - the magic age for pre check.

I don't fly that often anymore but I seem to always get pre check.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well my mother got pre check randomly on our SWA flight to Vegas and also on the way back home earlier this month....she hadn't flown in 8 years.

Mother-in-law and step-father-in-law always get pre-check and we assume it's because step-father-in-law is retired navy.

I wouldn't count on getting pre-check though even if you have gotten it in the past. If you fly enough I'd say pay for the Pre-Check or look into if anything you have (like a credit card, rewards programs, etc) qualifies for pre-check fee being covered.

 

[goofy4tink]

and oddly enough, I have never had an issue with clearing security at MCO, 10 maybe 15 minutes tops. Just jinxed it!!!

It took dd 25 mins to get through on Wednesday, the 18th, around 11:00!!

 

[NH-to-FL]

DW and I, a couple more old f@rts, have taken many flights, together and individually, on Southwest. DW almost always gets TSA-Pre. I frequently, but not always, get it. Interestingly when we travel together she will get it and I sometimes won't. In spite of the message last year that the program was ending we continue to get "free" TSA-Pre on our Southwest Boarding Passes.

 

[Nohal]

We were getting it to MCO from Philly and back again for a few years. Then two years ago we were only getting it out of PHL not back from MCO. MCO is terrible in the regular line. Finally bit the bullet and paid the 85$ which to me is well worth it to not have to deal with the long lines at the regular security. Now having to put your candy in a separate bin made me think I made the right choice to get precheck.

 

[PCFriar80]

I get it just about every time I fly BDL to MCO. DH and DD have had good luck with it too. I’m spoiled.

Same here BDL/MCO both legs last 5 trips going back to 2016, with our most recent trip just this past week.

 

[pooch]

It took dd 25 mins to get through on Wednesday, the 18th, around 11:00!!

See, I’m always the latest flight out. Maybe it’s better later

 

[Pooh2]

It's been money well spent for us to get precheck everytime.
The lines at MCO can be nutty, always feel like we've won the lottery breezing right through.

 

[jdisnut]

I realize that I fly considerably more than the average person on this board, but I maintain that buying PreCheck is worthwhile even for infrequent travelers. It costs $17 a year. Even if you take one round-trip flight over that time, the savings in time at the airport will justify the cost. That's especially true at MCO, where security lines can be particularly slow due to the prevalence of in experienced travelers.

 

[AngiTN]

See, I’m always the latest flight out. Maybe it’s better later

Yes, that has a huge impact. We prefer to fly out later too and lines frequently look short but the is always that one time when they are not. Precheck airways is though. Which is why it's so worth it

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I realize that I fly considerably more than the average person on this board, but I maintain that buying PreCheck is worthwhile even for infrequent travelers. It costs $17 a year. Even if you take one round-trip flight over that time, the savings in time at the airport will justify the cost. That's especially true at MCO, where security lines can be particularly slow due to the prevalence of in experienced travelers.

It wasn't inexperienced travelers that held us up at MCO when we were flying home in September. It was the TSA agents being asinine about the foot and arm positions. Seriously making you move a centimeter for your foot, etc. Have never had that issue with any other airport. Everyone else was ready to go but the line was held up for the TSA agents making people move their arms just a wee bit higher and their feet just a wee bit this way or that way.

We didn't pay for pre-check as we were flying with my mom a few weeks later to Vegas and didn't want her to have to go through the line alone after having not flown for 8 years and of course go figure like I mentioned above she got pre-check lol.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We usually get the freebie pre-check but one time I didn't so I asked what the determining factor is and the gate agent said it's just up to the computer. If there's a lot of people booked who are eligible, then not everyone will receive it.

Ironically, on some of the flights where we get the pre-check, the regular lines are really short. It's still a perk not to have to remove our shoes and separate our liquids, but DH has artificial knees and gets wanded regardless, and my shoes have a lot of metal in them and set off the detector, so I just run them through the scanner anyway.

 

[DebbieB]

Before I bought it last November, I usually got it one way.

 

[nmrgrl55]

My husband paid for it this year for work but we all got it for our flights last week (2 adults/3kids). I don't know if it was because we were traveling together and low risk or what, but the line coming home had a 30 minute wait so I was glad to zip through

 

[PSUGuy]

Just reporting in, we flew PHL to MCO on 11/2 and MCO to PHL on 11/11 and got pre check both ways, 4th time in a row. It makes things so much easire that we're going to pay for it just to be sure we have it. As a previous poster noted some folks don't know what it is and remove shoes and belts needlessly.

Bill From PA

 

[eeyoreland]

Well, I wouldn't quite call myself an "old f@rt" LOL, but getting closer everyday . My husband and I have lucked out quite frequently over the last 3-4 years. He flies about twice a year, and I've been averaging about three times. My daughter on the other hand (mid-30's) who flies about twice a year for the past many years has never been pre-checked. Oh, and this is all SW.

 

[Ress76]

We just got Pre Check-we waiting until after the wedding because of my name change. in 100% honestly, MCO was a large part of our reason. We have APs not and will again in a few years, and generally get in a few trips in each AP. if $15 a year saves my sanity at MCO, it is well worth it. JB fouled up my reservation for my flight home and so we got to do Pre Check in Buffalo (literally, did not even stop walking after they scanned our boarding passes until we were out the other side of security), but had to wait for what felt like forever at MCO. I'm so excited our next trip I KNOW the name is correct.

 

[NH-to-FL]

DW and I flew MHT to MCO on Southwest Tuesday afternoon and got TSA pre. TSA Pre is not quite as painless as it was before. At the ID inspection we were handed a plastic card that had new TSA Pre instructions on it. We had to get out our laptops, iPad, and liquids. We did get to keep our shoes on and only had to go through the magnetometer. After going through the x-ray my laptop was opened and looked over and DW's bag was tagged for inspection. They were looking for her capsule based prescription drug which they they swabbed.

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

I was surprised to get pre-check on our flight down to MCO from Philly last night. In fact, I didn't even notice that I had it. DH didn't get it. I went through the regular line (there was not really a line at all). The TSA agent told us it was on the boarding pass. I didn't have to take my shoes off. I ended up losing my phone at security (luckily found it about 10 panicked minutes later). The whole process took us almost a half hour... Thank goodness we like to arrive early.

Certainly not counting on this, but if I were to get TSA pre check again on the way home, can I take both of my kids with me (ages 9 and 6) and send DH in the regular line?