Can my minor child go through TSA PreCheck with me?

Children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the TSA PreCheck lanes without restriction. Children 13-17 may join enrolled adults when traveling on the same reservation and if the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the child's boarding pass.



As of 2026, the TSA PreCheck policy for families is quite accommodating. Children aged 12 and under can always accompany a parent or guardian who has TSA PreCheck through the dedicated lanes, provided the "TSA PRECHK" indicator appears on the child's boarding pass (which usually happens automatically if they are on the same reservation). For teenagers, the rules changed slightly in recent years: children aged 13 through 17 can also join their parents in the PreCheck lane, but only if they are traveling on the same airline reservation and the TSA PreCheck indicator is printed on their own boarding pass. If a teenager is traveling alone or on a separate reservation, they would need their own individual TSA PreCheck membership to use the lane. It is always important to ensure that the child's secure flight data (name and date of birth) exactly matches their identification and is correctly linked to the adult's Known Traveler Number (KTN) during the booking process.

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Children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the TSA PreCheck lanes without restriction. Children 13-17 may join enrolled adults when traveling on the same reservation and if the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the child's boarding pass.

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Children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening. Children will not be separated from their parent/guardian. Remove infants and children from strollers and car seats and carry them in arms through the walk-through metal detector.

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Children under 18 who a CLEAR member accompanies have access to the CLEAR lane free of charge, so you don't need to add them to your account. Kids this age don't need identification when traveling through the TSA checkpoint, which is why CLEAR allows them to proceed.

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Clear expedites the document/identity screening process and TSA PreCheck expedites the physical screening process.

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What is TSA PreCheck®? The TSA PreCheck® program expedites traveler screening through participating TSA security checkpoints (for a complete list of participating airports, visit the TSA PreCheck® Airports and Airlines page). No need to remove shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, or light jackets. Apply Now!

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Even though most airlines don't require photo I.D. for children or teens under 16, some parents run into trouble if they're traveling with a teen who looks older than they are. In such cases, having a birth certificate handy will solve any foreseeable troubles with proving your traveling companion's age.

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Technically your spouse can't go through the TSA PreCheck lane without their own account. In some instances, however, security may allow them through when it's clear that their boarding passes match yours as the primary account holder.

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Children traveling alone For safety, we require children age 5 – 14 traveling alone to use our unaccompanied minor service. This service is optional for children age 15 – 17, but if requested, then the fee applies. The unaccompanied minor fee is $150* each way, plus applicable taxes†, in addition to the ticket price.

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The fastest and easiest way to enroll in TSA PreCheck® is to start the application online.

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However, the answer is yes to the question Can I add TSA PreCheck to an existing reservation? You must update existing flights and your airline loyalty program profiles to be able to use the dedicated airport security lanes for PreCheck members.

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TSA PreCheck® provides expedited security screening benefits for flights departing from U.S. Airports. Global Entry provides expedited U.S. customs screening for international air travelers when entering the United States. Global Entry members also receive TSA PreCheck® benefits as part of their membership.

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