TSA PRE-CHECK

Let’s do a breakdown on the TSA PRE-CHECK to see if it’s worth of your 70 dollars investment. At the end of this article, you’ll know if you should either go for it or not.

*A cool view of the Los Angeles Airport during a raining day*

There’s a time in life where you start thinking that you can’t just waste your time. You can’t simply let people take it away from you. You must take some serious decisions.

One day, my wife came up with the idea of getting this TSA Pre check thing done. I let her do her thing and I was observant on how this was being handled. It took her about one or two days and that was it. She had her TSA PRE-CHECK number and she was good to go. Right after that, I recall traveling to Hawaii and I was amazed that it took me about 40 minutes to go through the regular TSA check while she took only 5 minutes.

After this trip, I was getting ready to attend a business meeting in Miami Florida and I had to go again through the regular TSA check thing. It was not as bad. I travelled in the middle of the week and it took me about 5 minutes to go through the detectors. I think it was 1 or 2 pm when I traveled and it was indeed the middle of the week. I was like … “why should I do a TSA Pre check anyways? what a waste of my money”.

Then 3 months later, I had to travel to Brazil to do an international workshop for a large group of Christian entrepreneurs. Boy boy boy … did I regret not having my TSA PRE CHECK READY and in HANDS?

This trip took me about 24 freaking hours. 4 connections with no delays though and the regular TSA was such a nightmare. I had a large piece of luggage I had to dispatch plus my carry on with my bag with a bunch of electronics in it. Imagine the hustle of taking my belts off, my shoes, and still needing to take out all the equipment from my backpack … for then later, had to put them all over again and the line was HUGE!

At that time, I stopped for a moment and realized that I was traveling a lot during the year and I had to manage a way to make these trips more comfortable on my end. It was tiring for me to get all these TSA checks done plus having to sit in the airplane for hours and then get to my destination and get my luggage and etc. I realized I had to do something about it.

That’s when I chose to go through the process of getting my TSA PRE-CHECK number.

My opinion on this is that I honestly don’t feel like this is for everyone. I believe it’s designed for a specific niche. I think It’s designed just for those people who really travel a lot. Why? because if you barely travel during the year, you’ll just need to figure out when are the times that have less people traveling and stick with that time. You won’t need to do it if you travel during the week. If you do a lot of international travel, yes. You should consider having your TSA PRE-CHECK. If you travel A LOT, yes, you should consider having your TSA PRE-CHECK done too.

What is the process like?

My process took me almost two months. My wife’s process took her about two days. Why do some people have to wait for so long? no idea. The process for every individual is different. Maybe nowadays we have more applicants and it also depends on the season you’re applying. My wife applied for hers three months before spring break. I applied after spring break.

To apply for your TSA Pre-check you’ll need to go to this website (click here).

Then, scroll down to this section:

This section above has straight forward instructions that will help you get your TSA PRE-CHECK number. So this is pretty easy to do. They will be running your entire security background to make sure you are REALLY clear. Everything that you ever need to know about the instructions on how to get this done is on their website.

*First Baptist Church, Curitiba Parana (they are actually pentecostal)*

My Experience With TSA Pre Check

Everything I'll be sharing here pertains solely to my experience with TSA PreCheck. By reading this, you agree that no misinterpretation can be inferred from my remarks about the agency. I'm simply sharing my experience and my opinions.

I just arrived from my last trip and before embarking to my flight I bought a nice chicken tenders sandwich at Publix which I brought it with me to the airport. No way I was okay paying for snacks inside of the airport or any sort of sandwich whatosever. It’s a Rip off, no jokes. It’s not because I have money that I now have to spend it like a maniac. If I know I can buy a coffee at a coffee shop on the way to the airport at 5 bucks and the same coffee at the airport for 10 dollars, I will manage to buy this coffee at 5 dollars.

*Nice walk at Buraco Do Padre in Parana, Brazil. Keep scrolling down and I’ll share with you the actual place.*

Unfortunately this time, I wasn’t too lucky with finding a coffee shop on the way to the airport and I had to buy a coffee at the airport. I found this Einstein bros bagels and I got a vanilla latte. I said: “I would like to have a regular vanilla latte”. The man behind the counter: “It’s 10 dollars.” I was like: “It’s just one vanilla latte”. The guy went like: “10 dollars”. I was like … “it’s a rip off!” The guy: “yes sir! I hear this every freaking day”. Then we both laughed together, I paid and I went to look to grab a seat. Interestingly enough, the man gave me a huge cup coffee which was twice more expensive than the one I originally bought. I think he did it because of that laughter we had together.

I sat right in front of the TSA Check line and by the left side you could see the TSA PRE-CHECK line.

No kidding my friends … in that TSA Check like, I kid you not, I believe 100% that I saw at least 200 people jammed and waiting to get checked. In the meanwhile, the TSA PRE-CHECK line was empty!

My boarding time was set at 11:30 AM and I arrived earlier at 9:30 AM or so because I still had to drop the car I rented for the week. At 10:00sh I was having my breakfast while looking at all these people waiting to be checked. While seated I was thinking of the good memories I had in this trip. This one was was more than special to me … It came to mind … some thoughts… some memories … and I shed my tears while eating my Publix sandwich.

Then I literally took about 45 to 50 minutes eating and thinking and I got up. Took my stuff and went through the TSA PRE CHECK. Everybody that was on that other line that was looking at me eating, were now looking at me going ahead of them to be checked in less than 5 minutes. I could feel the fury.

I even heard: “what da heeeeecck”

*Buraco Do Padre, Ponta Grossa Parana Brazil*

The TSA peeps treated me so nicely. They are always nice! Don’t take me wrong, but I could feel that the treatment got even better. I could feel that they were a tranquil oasis amidst life's tumultuous waters with me. They called me by name and all. I believe it’s done like that because I had all my security background checked and they know I’m no criminal. I was impressed at how nicely they were treating me. It’s like me and the TSA were now friends. Friends that were hanging out together and enjoying life with the certainty that tomorrow everything was going to be okay. It’s like the TSA was like my brother from another mother. I coulnd’t see them as agency anymore but as a person. A person that had feelings and that loves and cares and asks me if I am okay! Someone that legitimately was there to make sure I had breakfast and had taken a shower on that day. Like a girl is in love for a man, this was our relationship now! TSA was the woman of course. I could not believe it … we were now soulmates …

.

bahahahahahhaha

I just didn’t like that the alarm thingy keeps going off when I go through the simple version of the TSA PRE CHECK gates. When I was a regular TSA check person this barely happened. And now this keeps happening. Besides that, I can guarantee you that it was worth of my investment.

CONCLUSION

If you travel a lot or if you do international travel at least once a year, consider applying for TSA PRE CHECK. If you do domestic travels more than 5 times a year, I could suggest you to go for it too. But if you do travel less than 5 times a year. Just figure out ways to travel during the week. Preferebly wednesday or tuesday in the afternoon. You won’t need to go through all this hustle.

What is the process like?

My Experience With TSA Pre Check

CONCLUSION

Boundaries

Fasting

Deus Fala e Ele Vive