5 Important Rules to Know About TSA PreCheck for 2025

Where are you flying to on your next vacation?

Whether you’re flying to Disney World or around the world, travel can be tricky. To make life easier, we keep up with the latest travel updates and inform you about changes and new procedures. One method of easing travel hassle is the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) TSA PreCheck, which can expedite going through security at the airport. If you use this feature, there are some rules you need to know about going into 2025.

TSA PreCheck allows users to skip potentially long regular security checkpoint lines and can be an absolute time saver at the airport. The program currently has more than 100 airlines enrolled and has become super popular among frequent travelers and currently has over 19 million users. If you’re one of these Trusted Travelers, make sure you’re aware of these five rules before the next time you use TSA PreCheck!

REAL ID is Required Beginning in May

Next year will show some significant changes to TSA PreCheck, as the TSA will begin a phased rollout of REAL ID requirements in 2025.

In conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security, TSA is enacting a May 7th, 2025 deadline as to when REAL ID enforcement will begin. According to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, “REAL ID provides an important security enhancement, and this rule allows us to plan for a range of scenarios to help minimize the potential impact to travelers, industry stakeholders, and states during implementation.”

REAL ID is an enhanced state-issued driver’s license or identification card that will be required not only for TSA PreCheck but for regular security lines, as well. To learn more about acquiring a REAL ID, consult your local Department of Motor Vehicles.

Travelers who don’t meet the REAL ID deadline can still use passports, U.S. passports, or Department of Homeland Security Trusted Traveler cards to get through security.

MCO’s CLEAR Offers TSA PreCheck Enrollment

CLEAR is a pre-security service at several airports like Orlando International Airport (MCO) that speeds up the identification process by using biometrics to confirm your identity. While CLEAR is notably different from TSA PreCheck, it is in partnership with the program.

CLEAR has over 40 TSA PreCheck enrollment and renewal locations across the U.S., including one at MCO. According to CLEAR CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker, “TSA PreCheck with enrollment by CLEAR provides a fast and efficient airport experience.”

The efficient experience Seidman-Becker is referencing is TSA PreCheck members’ ability to keep shoes, belts, and light jackets on through the security checkpoints, as well as the ability to keep electronics and 3-1-1 compliant liquids in carry-on bags. These permissions generally speed up security wait times significantly.

MCO’s in-person TSA PreCheck enrollments are available from 6AM ET to 8PM ET daily. To learn about enrollment locations at other airports as well as renewals, visit https://tsaprecheckbyclear.tsa.dhs.gov/.

Children 17 and Under Can Join an Adult with TSA PreCheck

What should you do if you want to access TSA PreCheck but are traveling with kids? Can children apply for TSA PreCheck? Here’s what you need to know!

Per the TSA, “children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the TSA PreCheck lanes without restriction.”

However, children 13 to 17 years of age can access the TSA PreCheck lanes if they have a TSA PreCheck logo on their boarding pass. Per the official guidelines, “to be eligible to receive the TSA PreCheck logo on their boarding pass, the passenger between the ages of 13 and 17 must be on the same airline reservation with a TSA PreCheck-eligible parent or guardian. However, they will not have access to TSA PreCheck lanes if they are on a separate reservation from their parent or guardian or if the TSA PreCheck logo is not included on their boarding pass. In these cases, they must go through standard security screening.”

Children traveling alone may want to enroll in TSA PreCheck and adults using gate passes to accompany children traveling alone will be directed to standard screening. For more info, please visit the TSA website.

How to Apply

Want to sign up for TSA PreCheck in 2025? Here’s what you need to know!

Applying for TSA PreCheck takes three steps. First, visit tsa.gov/precheck to select the enrollment provider that best meets your needs and has an enrollment location near you. You’ll then pre-enroll online and make an in-person appointment or choose to do a walk-in enrollment.

The in-person visit will take about 10 minutes and you will provide biometric data, verify identity documents, and provide payment.

Once approved, you’ll receive your Known Traveler Number (KTN) and you can then add it to your airline reservations.

It’s worth noting that “any website that claims to allow consumers to register for TSA PreCheck that does not end in “.gov” is not an official TSA PreCheck website.” Also of note, first-time applicants “are not asked to provide payment information online.”

Know the Enrollment Providers

As we previously mentioned, TSA PreCheck enrollment is provided by one of three providers. Feel free to choose one based on location (you can learn about that on their respective websites) as well as price.

TSA has partnered with the following providers for enrollment purposes:

• IDEMIA: $78 Enrollment / $58.75 Online renewal, $66.75 In-person renewal
• Telos: $85 Enrollment / $70 Renewal

CLEAR: $77.95 Enrollment / $58.95 Online renewal, $77.95 In-person renewal

2025 Travel Changes

While not a rule, it’s important to be aware of some possible changes coming to air travel in 2025.

We already know about more flights coming to airports like MCO, and that could really help give you more options in 2025. This is a trend we might see continue in the new year.

It’s also important to monitor the financial health of budget airlines. For example, just last month Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy and the future of the airline is in jeopardy. If you frequently use budget airlines, it’s important to keep up with their status as times appear to be getting tough.

Flying could be getting fancier in 2025. Airlines like Delta are upgrading some of their cabins to create a more luxurious experience. Could we see planes get fancier in 2025?

Finally, and maybe most importantly, it’s super important to watch travel cost trends. 2024 saw airfare prices actually decrease at the beginning of the year. However, prices increased year-over-year in late 2024. Could it possibly keep getting cheaper to fly in 2025? Perhaps, and post-Covid with flight frequency increasing and capacity levels going up, we could see more competitive rates in the future. This is definitely something to monitor if you have travel plans next year!

And there you have it! Continue to follow us here at AllEars for all kinds of travel tips, updates, tricks, and more!

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If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

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