Paying extra for TSA PreCheck and is it really worth it? You’re thrilled to be taking a vacation. Your phone is completely charged, your passport is in your pocket, your bags are packed, and your social media accounts are excitedly anticipating all those vibrant vacation pictures. However, the notorious airport security queues are the only obstacle in your path.
Fortunately, there is a travel tip from the Transport Security Administration (TSA) that can help you relax as you board your flight. Through its TSA PreCheck program, travelers can use special fast-track security lanes to board their flight and even keep liquids and electronics in their luggage. They are not even required to remove their belts or shoes.
People only need to register their information online and then visit one of the TSA’s “enrollment centers” to have their application accepted. Those who are accepted will then be given their number, which they can use to make additional airline reservations in the future. Depending on which company handles your application, each PreCheck code costs between $76 and $85, and they are valid for five years.
So, is TSA PreCheck—which is offered at more than 200 airports across the United States—really worth it? Joshua Adams, a travel and lifestyle YouTuber, put it to the test. Along with his wife Alexa, the globetrotter shares travel tips and tricks on social media, and their most recent TikTok video was no different.
At the start of the video, Joshua walked through an airport and posed the question: “Is TSA PreCheck worth it? After much persuading, Alexa encouraged us to get it and this is what it’s like to go through security with TSA PreCheck.”
🌞 Skip The TSA Scanners
The mmWave scanners at TSA blast your body with 24–30 GHz frequencies.
Yes—they say it’s “safe.”
No—it’s not.Always opt for the PAT DOWN.
The scan takes 5 seconds. That damage can last for years. pic.twitter.com/EcaV7aTzfc
— 🌞 Christian Van Camp 🌞 (@cvcwellness) April 8, 2025
Joshua then recorded himself navigating his designated TSA security line while outlining the application procedure. As required by law, he moved quickly through security because there weren’t many people in the line. He did, however, post the caption “I got in trouble” after a security guard told him to follow TSA PreCheck guidelines and put his phone “all the way in” his bag.
After passing through security, Joshua highlighted the main benefits: “OK, you can keep your shoes on, you don’t have to take batteries out, you don’t have to take liquids out, you can also keep your belt on. All you do — you put your bags on the conveyor [belt] and walk right through.”
OPEN BORDER: The new TSA-PRE for expedited screening is only for illegals without ID. They get to skip both the normal and pre lines for immediate screening and boarding. You are being replaced. pic.twitter.com/sEOQbp2XDs
— @amuse (@amuse) June 12, 2024
Joshua provided his assessment on TSA PreCheck at the end of the video: “If you travel once or twice a year, TSA PreCheck is so worth it. For good measure, he even added a cheeky caption in the end of the clip, saying: “Alexa’s always right — it’s worth it.”
Since its debut, the video has had around 126,000 views, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. One user said: “It’s the best thing I’ve done for traveling. Well worth it. When you see the regular long security lines and you just move past all of them.”
This was in addition to the 92% of tourists who said that the experience of flying nowadays “leaves a lot to be desired” due to factors like delays and decreasing legroom, as reported by The Mirror. However, Joshua’s advice to get TSA PreCheck would be worth taking into consideration for anyone looking for a straightforward travel tip to make their trip go more smoothly.
