TSA expands PreCheck to 35 airports for elite frequent flyers from 5 airlines

The Transportation and Security Administration announced this week that John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, became the 35th airport to get TSA PreCheck, which enables members to skip the regular security lanes and go through faster, expedited security screening. Launched in late 2011 at four airports, PreCheck is still merely a convenience for elite frequent flyers from just five airlines (and the military).

Although the TSA says it wants to expand the number of airports and airlines, just five carriers are part of PreCheck: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and US Airways.

For now, at least, if you are an elite frequent flyer for Southwest, which carries more passengers than any U.S. airline, Spirit, Allegiant, JetBlue, Frontier, Hawaiian or Virgin America, to name a few, you won’t be getting a PreCheck invitation.

[UPDATED: Southwest Airlines spokesperson Brandy King says the airline is currently evaluating what it would take to implement PreCheck, and “looks forward to participating in the program in the future as it expands its operations to additional airlines.”]

There are other ways to get into the program, however, such as signing up for one of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI.

Active duty military members can also take advantage of PreCheck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Honolulu International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport.

Many people and organizations are calling on the TSA to expand PreCheck eligiblity to a greater number of passengers and airlines.

“With two million travelers flying daily, PreCheck can only succeed if participation is greatly expanded beyond the five million passengers that have currently been screened,” says Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “We are encouraged by recent news that TSA is exploring new methods to expand usage of the program.”

You can get more information about TSA PreCheck here.

Following is the TSA’s list of PreCheck airlines and the airports where the service is available:

Alaska Airlines – Chicago O’Hare International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, George Bush Intercontinental, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Honolulu International, John Wayne, Logan International, Los Angeles International, Miami International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Orlando International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Seattle-Tacoma International and Ted Stevens Anchorage International airports.

American Airlines – Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Honolulu International, Indianapolis International, John F. Kennedy International, John Wayne, LaGuardia, Lambert-St. Louis International, Las Vegas’ McCarran International, Logan International, Los Angeles International, Miami International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Orlando International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, San Francisco International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Ted Stevens Anchorage International and Washington Dulles International airports.

Delta Air Lines – Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Honolulu International, Indianapolis International, John Wayne, LaGuardia Airport, Las Vegas’ McCarran, Logan International, Los Angeles International, Luis Muñoz Marin International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Orlando International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Salt Lake City International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Tampa International, Ted Stevens Anchorage International and Washington Dulles International airports.

United Airlines – Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Denver International, George Bush Intercontinental, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Honolulu International, Indianapolis International, John Wayne, Los Angeles International, Luis Muñoz Marin International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Newark Liberty International, Orlando International, Philadelphia International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, San Francisco International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Ted Stevens Anchorage International and Washington Dulles International airports.

US Airways – Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Charlotte Douglas International, Chicago O’Hare International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Denver International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Honolulu International, Indianapolis International, John Wayne, Lambert-St. Louis International, Luis Muñoz Marin International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Orlando International, Philadelphia International, Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Pittsburgh International, Portland International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Salt Lake International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Ted Stevens Anchorage International and Washington Dulles International airports.