As the busy summer travel season gets underway, airports across the United States are preparing for heavier passenger volumes and potentially longer security lines at TSA checkpoints. For travelers looking to save time, paid expedited screening programs like TSA PreCheck and Clear remain popular options, but a newer technology is quietly expanding across the country: TSA PreCheck Touchless ID.
Touchless ID is a biometric screening option that allows eligible travelers to verify their identity using facial recognition instead of presenting a physical ID at security. After opting in through a participating airline (American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, and Hawaiian) and linking their Known Traveler Number and passport details within their frequent flyer profile, travelers can use dedicated Touchless ID lanes at select airports.
I used it twice last week, once at LAX and once in MIA (photos above), and it couldn’t have been easier or quicker. A camera at the checkpoint matches a live image to existing government identification records, allowing passengers to move through identity verification more quickly and with less friction. The program is currently available at a growing list of major U.S. airports, which I’ve listed below. Keep in mind travelers must still be enrolled in TSA PreCheck to use the system, and participation remains completely optional.
Airports where TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is available include:
• Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)
• Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
• Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
• Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
• Boise Airport (BOI)
• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Bradley International Airport (BDL)
• Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
• Charleston International Airport (CHS)
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
• Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Dallas Love Field (DAL)
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
• Dulles International Airport (IAD)
• Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
• Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
• Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
• John Wayne Airport (SNA)
• Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
• Long Beach Airport (LGB)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)
• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
• Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
• Nashville International Airport (BNA)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Oakland International Airport (OAK)
• Orlando International Airport (MCO)
• Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)
• Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)
• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
• Portland International Airport (PDX)
• Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU)
• Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
• Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
• San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
• San Diego International Airport (SAN)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
• Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
• Tampa International Airport (TPA)
• Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
• Tulsa International Airport (TUL)
• Westchester County Airport (HPN)
• William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
• Will Rogers World Airport (OKC)
While the technology aims to streamline the identity verification process, it is still not universally adopted at every checkpoint or consistently available at all times. Some travelers also report occasional issues enabling the feature through airline apps, particularly when account details such as Known Traveler Numbers or identification information are not fully up to date.
Even so, if TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is available and you’re flying one of the participating airlines from one of the airports listed above, it’s worth taking a moment to ensure it’s enabled in your airline account. You may need to toggle the setting off and on again and save changes to refresh it.
One recent note: American Airlines has been sending renewal prompts for Touchless ID preferences, which some travelers may not realize need to be periodically confirmed. I had better success updating settings through a desktop browser rather than the mobile app, particularly when using Chrome.
