Welcome to Travel Splurges. Here we chronicle the services we paid a little extra for while traveling. Were they worth it? Keep reading to find out!
If you plan on flying a lot, even just small distances, consider getting TSA Precheck. The cost is $85 (although many credit cards will cover the membership fee) and good for five years. Plus one member will cover the whole family's access to the TSA Precheck lane, so long as you are all on the same ticket reservation.
After your application is sent through, you will need to schedule some time to do an in-person interview at an airport, where they will do a background check, ask you a few questions, and take your fingerprints.But once you've got your Known Traveler Number (KTN), you'll be whizzing through the TSA Precheck line on your next trip. It's available at more than 200 airports! Whee.
PRO TIP: Make sure to add your KTN to every single airline program profile that you have and every single airline ticket that you book. If you don't, then your boarding pass will come up as a regular old boarding pass and security will make you head to the general line. Yes, even if you show your fancy TSA Precheck or Global Entry card. If you notice the TSA Precheck designation is not listed on your boarding pass, go up to a desk agent and have them adjust. If the lines are crazy long, I often head to the Help Desk and they can do it. You can add your KTN onto your ticket usually 24 hours before the flight, but if it's less than that, you may have to do it at the airport.
WAS IT WORTH IT? A thousand times, YES. Not having to remove your shoes or your laptop while also breaking down a stroller, pulling out the milk to be scanned, and wrangling squirmy children is an actual lifesaver. And of course, you'll get to move through a quicker security lane. Anything that saves time and stress while traveling with children is worth it.
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