A recent study conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign suggests that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) could save travelers and itself millions of dollars by making TSA PreCheck free to frequent air travelers.
What's more, with more travelers enrolled in PreCheck, airport security lines would be much shorter, making for a much safer and smoother travel experience.
Currently, PreCheck enrollees must shell out an $85 fee to qualify for the sped-up security lines that don't require them to remove shoes and light jackets, among other items.
TSA spokesman Michael McCarthy told the Chicago Tribune that 12 million travelers are signed up for PreCheck and Global Entry, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection program providing expedited clearance for low-risk travelers. The agency has set a lofty goal of enrolling 25 million by 2019.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign study found that if the TSA waived the $85 fee for frequent fliers averaging at least a dozen screenings per year (six round-trip flights) it would cost the agency $425 million per year. However, by having 25 million travelers enrolled in PreCheck, the TSA would have 300 million faster screenings each year, saving it $459 million and $34 million overall once the difference is split.
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"It's a great way to save money and make the system more safe," computer science professor and the study's lead author Sheldon Jacobson told the Tribune.
In addition to saving money, having more travelers enrolled in PreCheck could potentially enhance security overall since PreCheck travelers will still undergo fingerprinting and a background check. According to the study, PreCheck screenings are four times more efficient than the enhanced screening many passengers go through prior to boarding their flight.
In his own study, economist Gary S. Becker discovered that more than 75 percent of travelers enrolled in Global Entry were admitted into the U.S. in under five minutes.
"This should not be difficult for these two agencies because the presumption is that the security benefits of using TSA's PreCheck is at least identical to processing people in a non-PreCheck lane. The same is true for using a Global Entry kiosk versus the alternative," writes Becker.
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