How to Renew TSA Pre-Approval for Free
Remember when the decision to fly somewhere for work, visiting family, or on vacation was not a moral dilemma or a choice that could ultimately have a major impact on your life and health? And remember how many other people traveled around the United States, that there was a special line for those who wanted to pay more to get things going faster?
It may seem like it was all a dream, but it was – and remains – very real. And this is called TSA PreCheck. The program was launched in 2013 and provides low-risk passengers with a five-year membership.
Many people have now come to a point where they are deciding whether to renew their membership, and TSA is trying to simplify this decision by lowering the price of the PreCheck renewal . Better yet, Frommer’s Jason Cochran has found a way to renew his PreCheck membership for free. Here’s what you need to know.
How to Renew TSA PreCheck Membership for a Lower Cost
Since your initial appointment for the TSA PreCheck application includes a short interview and fingerprinting, this must be done in person. But after that, you can renew your membership online – according to TSA, this is currently the renewal method preferred by over 95 percent of PreCheck members . But now, instead of the previous $ 85 fee, the cost is now $ 70.
How to renew your TSA PreCheck membership for free
What could be better than a fall in value? That’s right – completely free. And here the Cochran method comes to the rescue. If you plan (or at least hope) to travel abroad more often, you may already be considering applying for PreCheck: Global Entry Overseas Cousin status. According to Cochran , if you pay $ 100 for a Global Entry membership, you get TSA PreCheck for free.
And don’t forget to check out the perks that come with your credit cards: some such as Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture Rewards, Bank of America Premium Rewards, and United Explorer Card will refund your global membership fee, Cochran says .