I Tried the Fastest TSA PreCheck Hack and Still Almost Missed My Flight

Our time-saving airport hack almost backfired on us in a major way!

Security checkpoint at MCO

From navigating security to dealing with unexpected delays and cancellations, we know all too well that flying can be a stressful experience. That’s why we’re always looking for ways to make it easier to navigate. But when we recently used one of our favorite TSA PreCheck hacks, we learned firsthand that it can actually have an unexpected downside if you’re not careful!

We recently signed up for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, which uses facial comparison technology for faster identity verification, letting passengers get through security without taking out their ID.

TSA PreCheck Touchless Identity Solution at LaGuardia

TSA PreCheck travelers with a valid passport can opt into the program with a participating airline, including American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. Once TSA confirms the passenger’s enrollment, a TSA PreCheck Touchless ID indicator will appear on the boarding pass, meaning they’re cleared to use the dedicated Touchless ID lanes at the airport.

American Airlines Plane

Of course, even those who are cleared to use the program are instructed to still bring their physical REAL-ID-compliant form of identification along with them, in case it needs to be verified by a TSA officer. Now, let’s get back to our story of how this helpful hack almost came back to bite us…

PreCheck signage

We used the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID line for a recent flight to see whether it holds up as a time-saving tip. The line did move super fast for us, and we didn’t run into any issues, so we were able to get through security without ever having to pull out our ID — yay!

MCO Airport Security

We were riding high on successfully taking advantage of the Touchless ID perk… until we got to our gate and realized we forgot our purse at home! That’s right, our bag got left behind in the travel day chaos, and since we didn’t have to pull out our ID at security, we bypassed the typical “built-in purse check” and didn’t realize it was missing until we were literally staring at our plane!

Southwest Airlines at MCO

Luckily, we did have someone at home who was able to drive our purse to the airport for us. But that meant we had to leave the gate to return allllll the way back to the airport drop-off area to meet them, then go back through security and SPRINT to make our flight. And yes, we thankfully did still make it back in time, but with basically NO time to spare!

Southwest Airlines

Lesson learned — TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is a great way to save time and navigate security more easily. BUT if you use it when you travel, be sure to double and triple-check that you have your purse/bag/wallet with you, otherwise, you might not realize it’s missing until it’s too late!

We’ll keep sharing our favorite travel tips with you — including what to do and, maybe even more importantly, what NOT to do — so stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for more updates!

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Have you used Touchless ID before? Share your experience in the comments!