Going through airport security is uniformly viewed as one of the last pleasant parts of flying, but there is a way to improve the experience slightly.
Signing up for TSA PreCheck allows you to go through a streamlined screening process that is faster, simpler, and that doesn't impose as many requirements on you.
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For example, you do not have to remove your shoes or your belt when you go through PreCheck, nor do you need to remove your laptop from your bag or remove your 3-1-1 compliant bag (your bag with liquid items). You can even wear a light jacket through the security line without having to remove it.
PreCheck is open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who enroll in either the TSA PreCheck program or the Global Entry program. Passengers under the age of 12 who travel with a qualifying passenger are also allowed to go through the PreCheck line.
There is normally a cost to become a PreCheck member, though. A new enrollment costs $75.75 for five years, and a renewal costs $58.75 for five years if you renew online, or $66.75 if you renew in person.
However, the TSA recently announced that certain eligible individuals will be able to sign up for PreCheck for free.
Image source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
TSA is providing free TSA PreCheck to these individuals
A TSA news release on July 2, 2025, explained that TSA PreCheck would be free beginning this summer for Gold Star family members.
All of the PreCheck enrollment partners, including CLEAR, IDEMIA, and Telos, are all providing this option to get eligible individuals signed up for the service for free.
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According to the press release, the enrollment fee will be waived permanently for Gold Star family members, in order to honor those individuals. “This gesture represents TSA’s profound respect for their sacrifice and aims to ease their travel journey in a meaningful way,” it said.
Gold Star family members are individuals who lost a loved one in military service to the United States. Eligible individuals include:
- Spouses
- Parents
- Children
- Siblings
The free PreCheck service will be available to all of these individuals, according to the TSA announcement.
“This Independence Day and beyond, TSA reaffirms its commitment to ease travel for the military community through its TSA PreCheck program by providing it free to Gold Star families, discounting it for military spouses, and creating expedited lanes for service members,” said TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill.
Other individuals will receive a discount on enrollment
In addition to the free memberships for those who are eligible, TSA is also providing a $25 discount to uniformed service members as well as spouses of military members.
According to the TSA, “This new benefit supports families who frequently travel to reunite with service members or relocate due to duty assignments.”
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The TSA is also planning to host mobile enrollment events close to military bases, making it easier for eligible individuals to get signed up for TSA PreCheck.
Beyond the discounted access to PreCheck, TSA will offer faster access to security for individuals in the military.
It will add designated PreCheck lanes only for service members at airports close to large military installations. In addition, TSA will offer military members front-of-the-line access.
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These benefits are important ones for a very deserving group. Those who have served our country, or who have a family member who served, will now have an easier and faster way to get through the airport and to their final destination.
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