Many TSA PreCheck travelers will tell you that it’s worth the pric to make domestic flights easier. Hopping into the special PreCheck line means no need to remove shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, or light jackets. And with 11 million users currently registered for PreCheck, those lines tend to be pretty short on their own. PreCheck has long been seen as the best option if you’re a frequent domestic traveler compared to the perks of Global Entry. Now TSA PreCheck has even more bonuses thanks to the program opening up its first international location at The Bahamas Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau.
Photo: David Tran Photo/Shutterstock
The First International TSA PreCheck Makes Now the Best Time to Sign Up for the Service
“This has been an excellent partnership throughout the trial period at Lynden Pindling International Airport, and it serves as a model for further extending TSA PreCheck,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske in a press release. “Permanently opening this PreCheck lane for travelers who join the risk-based program is a credit to the Government of The Bahamas and the commitment of the officers who are maintaining the highest standards of transportation security.”
The TSA selected Nassau because it’s one of the 16 US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) international preclearance locations. These are areas where CBP personnel inspect travelers before they board US-bound flights, rather than doing so upon arrival in the US, meaning passengers can proceed directly to their connecting flight or final destination. TSA PreCheck, on the other hand, offers expedited clearance through airport security for US travelers headed to domestic and international destinations. Nassau flights will now offer both.
If the decision on the Bahamas is any indication of what’s to come, the remaining 15 CBP international preclearance locations could be next:
- Calgary International Airport, Canada
- Edmonton International Airport, Canada
- Robert L. Stanfield International, Canada
- Montreal Trudeau International Airport, Canada
- Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport, Canada
- Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Canada
- Vancouver International Airport, Canada
- Victoria Preclearance, Canada
- Winnipeg International Airport, Canada
- Grand Bahama International Airport, Bahamas
- L.F. Wade International Airport, Bermuda
- Queen Beatrix International Airport, Aruba
- Dublin Airport, Ireland
- Shannon Airport, Ireland
- Abu Dhabi International Airport, UAE
So if you haven’t already snagged a TSA PreCheck clearance, now’s the time. PreCheck costs just $85 for five years — that equates to just $17 per year to enjoy quick lines and never having to take your shoes off in an airport again. And with any luck, TSA PreCheck will pop up at even more international airports, making the clearance even more worth the price tag. 