TSA to expand PreCheck screening to Burbank, Long Beach airports

The Transportation and Security Administration plans to roll out its PreCheck faster screening program to 60 more airports, including those in Burbank, Ontario and Long Beach, by the end of 2013, according to a TSA statement. Other California airports in line for PreCheck include Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego and San Jose.

The agency also will increase the number of security lanes at the 40 airports already using PreCheck, including at LAX and John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Despite the expansion, PreCheck applies only to qualifying passengers who fly on selected airlines. Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, United, US Air and Virgin America airlines participate, and JetBlue and Southwest are expected to join the ranks, the statement says. (PreCheck status is embedded in the bar code of boarding passes.)

The move comes as TSA fine-tunes the PreCheck application process. Fliers currently enrolled had to have been a member of a Trusted Traveler program or were invited to apply through their airline frequent flier or hotel loyalty program.

But that’s slated to change. Individuals will be able to fill out an online application and apply directly to the TSA. They will verify their ID and fingerprints at an enrollment office and pay about $85 to join. No word yet on exactly when that process will start.

PreCheck travelers use dedicated TSA screening lanes that allow them to leave on shoes, belts and jackets, and leave laptops and allowable liquids in their carry-on bags. TSA says 15 million travelers have used PreCheck since it began in 2011.

Info: PreCheck

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