Priority Security Screening

Travelers now have opportunities to speed up the TSA security screening process at the airport. Of course it comes at a price. These opportunities are good to know, as a travel agent, to inform clients, particularly ones who travel often.

For the most part, most of the airlines offer faster security screening for those with upgraded frequent flier status. There are other paid opportunities as well.

Some of these choices are:

• United Airlines offers a Pay for Premier check-in line, priority security line, and priority boarding from $9.00, at several airports around the country. This upgraded service must be purchased on-line or at the airport kiosk.
• Southwest has "Fly By" lanes at some of the airports they serve, with priority screening for Business Select customers, and Rapid Reward A-List customers.
• Frontier Airlines offers priority check-in, boarding, and security at select airports for passengers with a Classic Plus ticket, and Summit or Ascent member of their frequent flier program, Early Returns.
• American Airlines has priority security lines at several airports for elite members of AADvantage and first or business class passengers.
• The Clear program operates in DIA with a Clear card, where passengers are screened in advance with an iris scan and fingerprinting. The cost is $179 a year, but may well be worth suggesting to frequent travelers. They hope to expand to 12 more cities in the near future.

>p>More and more pay for priority screening opportunities are popping up across the county. The next question will be, is that fair that passengers can pay for a service that is mandatory for flying, while other fliers cannot afford to? Also, will it turn out that so many people pay for priority screening that those lines also become lengthy as well?

Have you, as travel agents, heard from clients about these priority screening opportunities?