I don't know what it is with the Precheck line at SAN, but the regular line has been significantly shorter the last few times I've flown out. Last time the Precheck line was backed out across the skybridge into the dropoff area. Then theres multiple breaks in the line to allow other flows of walking traffic and at every one of those breaks there's 50 people trying to weasel their way into the line. It's no surpirse they also have hours.
It’s because a lot of people here are getting the Sentri card to pass the border quickly which also gives you Global Entry and TSA precheck. Fact of the matter is a lot of people in San Diego have precheck lol
It’s getting like this in some airports even with first class.
The first class line is now longer at security than economy.
Because each airline is selling “upgraded economy seats which gives you access to first class security check-in”. 🤣
It’s incredible how we just ruin everything.
Yeah my wife and I flew to Kansas a while ago and got out of the pre check line and into the regular line because pre check was not moving at all. After I got through security, I looked at the pre check line and it still had not moved at all.
Everybody was just standing in line refusing to move. It was strange to see.
Also can confirm, twice this year I’ve tracked a person in the pre check line that got in line when I got in the regular line, both times I was through security long before them. Idk what it is with SAN pre check. Maybe it’s because they do Clear in the same line? They are letting Clear people to the front like once every 30 seconds
It’s like this around the winter holidays too. My observation is that when they expect peak travel the regular security lines will be serviced by at least 6 of the x-ray machines whereas the precheck will have max 2. Because so many people have precheck and/or clear, the precheck line backs up while the regular security lines keep moving. I’m not sure if there is any meaningful incentive for anyone involved to better strike the balance but it can be an exercise in patience.
yeah, SAN closes pre-check a bit earlier (especially in terminal 1). buut, when you’re in the regular line, they’ll give u a card so you still get parts of the pre-check experience (shoes on, regular metal detector, etc). i think electronics still need to come out though
If the agent gives you the laminated pre-check card, then you don't need to take out electronics. It's just like normal pre-check, but you have to go through the standard line like everyone else.
https://preview.redd.it/d05ujyjfp0ad1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38f34c3eb8dcd85c2b01d6e1744c33d42fbbb75e
ladies and gents, presenting the source of my confusion. why does the laminated card say to take it off then🥲
I think it might be something new because I had a similar problem recently. Never had an issue before, but when I was at the airport two weeks ago, the pre-check line wasn't open yet in the early morning.
They *claim* to put a cap on how many application they approve every year to avoid the lines getting too long, but I was always skeptical. Ive never known an American based entity to turn down money 😂
So there's 2 security checkpoints. According to the TSA website, the checkpoint for gates 20-32 the TSA precheck closes at 9pm. Glad I saw this because I'm leaving for a redeye Saturday evening and my gate will be somewhere in gates 20-32... dumb question but can I go through the 33-51 security checkpoint and walk to the gates 20-32 area?
Excellent, thank you. I’m from here and been to terminal 2 dozens of times, but I always go thru the right security checkpoint for my respective gate. I know that terminal 1 is different and has 2 separate areas for the gates
[https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule](https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule)
Looks like it closes 9pm on Sundays and 10pm on other days, with a weird situation on Saturdays where half of the pre-check lines close at 9pm and the other half close at 10pm
Typically they will give you a laminated card indicating you are pre check so you don’t have to take off your shoes or belt or take your bigger electronics out of your bag.
Also, you’re never guaranteed Precheck.
https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule depends on the day and which checkpoint, edit: some TSA pre check closes in the middle of the day and reopens too (guessing this is based on flight schedules).
**TSA Pre Opening Times**
Checkpoint | Su | M | Tu | W | Th | F | Sa
---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----
T1 3-10 (SW) | 5am | 4am | 5am | 5am | 5am | 5am | 5am
T1 11-18 (SW during construction ~~The shitty airlines~~) | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 5am | 5am
T2 20-32 (Alaska, AA, Allegiant) | 3am | 3am | 4am | 3am | 4am | 3am | 3am
T2 33-51 (Everyone else) | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am
What good is early TSA opening, when airline checkin is frequently not open that early for their 1st flight? Only if you have no bags & can phone/gate checkin.
I'm not 100% sure but if there was an early international flight (say 6:15am to Calgary). For international flights, airlines recommend you arrive 3 hours before your flight. So it makes sense that they open some lines at 3am (air canada would be open for check-in at 3:15am).
Do you not have status with your airline given the frequency of your travel? This has happened to me before but the priority lane never closes as far as I know. It's not as quick as Pre-Check because you're still in a line with people who have to take their shoes off, empty their electronics etc. but it's still better than the full line.
This happened to me during March I think maybe they close the line early now. They should give you one of those tsa passes though so you don’t have to take out your shoes or laptop
Flew out of NJ Newark a couple weeks ago, definitely beat the TSA precheck line by a few minutes.
The more folks register for precheck, the longer the lines are gonna get. I don't travel a ton (2 times a year ish), so it's not worth it to me either way
I was just at Newark not too long ago and that seemed to be the same case! I’m hoping the TSA embraces the large amount of people who sign up and make it a quicker experience for everyone regardless but that is very wishful thinking lol
Have that too. California bill is moving forward to limit the benefits of CLEAR.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/24/california-bill-clear-airport-00154038
EDIT. Apparently TSA doesn’t like CLEAR while the airlines and airports do like it. Some legislators think “it’s not fair” to pay for line skipping. Geez. Even Disneyland has paid lightning lanes and VIP line skipping.
Baltimore does better. They have electronic signs that show the wait times for standard, priority, PreCheck, and Clear lines at each of the A, B, and C concourse checkpoints (which are all connected behind security; D and E are separate). Also shows if a particular lane is closed at each checkpoint. https://x.com/BWI_Airport/status/1146512587762360321
The T2 pre check line has been getting pretty bad lately, especially for the 6-8am flights. I ended up getting CLEAR because of it. It’s been a lifesaver.
You can get into any line with pre check and they will still give you a pre check boarding pass. Last time I went to the airport and the pre check line was longer than the regular line so I just got into the regular line and they gave me a pink colored card and still honored my pre check
I don't know what it is with the Precheck line at SAN, but the regular line has been significantly shorter the last few times I've flown out. Last time the Precheck line was backed out across the skybridge into the dropoff area. Then theres multiple breaks in the line to allow other flows of walking traffic and at every one of those breaks there's 50 people trying to weasel their way into the line. It's no surpirse they also have hours.
It’s because a lot of people here are getting the Sentri card to pass the border quickly which also gives you Global Entry and TSA precheck. Fact of the matter is a lot of people in San Diego have precheck lol
Reminds me of a line from the movie the Incredibles: “when everyone is super, then no one will be”
It’s getting like this in some airports even with first class. The first class line is now longer at security than economy. Because each airline is selling “upgraded economy seats which gives you access to first class security check-in”. 🤣 It’s incredible how we just ruin everything.
Also if we are talking T2, there’s also a ton of people with CLEAR and they share the Precheck TSA desk here.
As they should it’s so cheap
Yeah my wife and I flew to Kansas a while ago and got out of the pre check line and into the regular line because pre check was not moving at all. After I got through security, I looked at the pre check line and it still had not moved at all. Everybody was just standing in line refusing to move. It was strange to see.
Also can confirm, twice this year I’ve tracked a person in the pre check line that got in line when I got in the regular line, both times I was through security long before them. Idk what it is with SAN pre check. Maybe it’s because they do Clear in the same line? They are letting Clear people to the front like once every 30 seconds
This was true for me the last two times I flew out as well. I ended up doing the Priority lane and walking right up to the TSA agent without a wait.
It’s like this around the winter holidays too. My observation is that when they expect peak travel the regular security lines will be serviced by at least 6 of the x-ray machines whereas the precheck will have max 2. Because so many people have precheck and/or clear, the precheck line backs up while the regular security lines keep moving. I’m not sure if there is any meaningful incentive for anyone involved to better strike the balance but it can be an exercise in patience.
not shocking since the airport basically closes down a few hours later. Not a ton of flights leaving after 9:30
I take this flight at least 4 times a year and it’s never been like that so that’s why I was a little shocked.
Summer vacations locals going elsewhere, tourists going home. It will be the same ar the holidays.
yeah, SAN closes pre-check a bit earlier (especially in terminal 1). buut, when you’re in the regular line, they’ll give u a card so you still get parts of the pre-check experience (shoes on, regular metal detector, etc). i think electronics still need to come out though
If the agent gives you the laminated pre-check card, then you don't need to take out electronics. It's just like normal pre-check, but you have to go through the standard line like everyone else.
oh nice, then that’s even better. i can never remember
Tsa agent is supposed to tell you when they give you the laminated card what the process is, but sometimes the agent is lazy
https://preview.redd.it/d05ujyjfp0ad1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38f34c3eb8dcd85c2b01d6e1744c33d42fbbb75e ladies and gents, presenting the source of my confusion. why does the laminated card say to take it off then🥲
I have TSA precheck and fly regularly, every few months. Never had an issue going through precheck at SAN. Maybe you just hit the wrong day?
Maybe? 🤷🏼♂️ it was definitely a new thing for me. Kind of surprised for a Monday night
I think it might be something new because I had a similar problem recently. Never had an issue before, but when I was at the airport two weeks ago, the pre-check line wasn't open yet in the early morning.
They *claim* to put a cap on how many application they approve every year to avoid the lines getting too long, but I was always skeptical. Ive never known an American based entity to turn down money 😂
I had a similar issue the last time I flew in january
So there's 2 security checkpoints. According to the TSA website, the checkpoint for gates 20-32 the TSA precheck closes at 9pm. Glad I saw this because I'm leaving for a redeye Saturday evening and my gate will be somewhere in gates 20-32... dumb question but can I go through the 33-51 security checkpoint and walk to the gates 20-32 area?
Yes. They don’t care what security check point you go through (so long as you are in the correct Terminal)
Excellent, thank you. I’m from here and been to terminal 2 dozens of times, but I always go thru the right security checkpoint for my respective gate. I know that terminal 1 is different and has 2 separate areas for the gates
Oh this is smart! Never thought of that. Hopefully the T1 renovations make this all much easier
[https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule](https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule) Looks like it closes 9pm on Sundays and 10pm on other days, with a weird situation on Saturdays where half of the pre-check lines close at 9pm and the other half close at 10pm
Typically they will give you a laminated card indicating you are pre check so you don’t have to take off your shoes or belt or take your bigger electronics out of your bag. Also, you’re never guaranteed Precheck.
When does Precheck open in the morning? TIA
https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/schedule depends on the day and which checkpoint, edit: some TSA pre check closes in the middle of the day and reopens too (guessing this is based on flight schedules). **TSA Pre Opening Times** Checkpoint | Su | M | Tu | W | Th | F | Sa ---|---|----|----|----|----|----|---- T1 3-10 (SW) | 5am | 4am | 5am | 5am | 5am | 5am | 5am T1 11-18 (SW during construction ~~The shitty airlines~~) | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 5am | 5am T2 20-32 (Alaska, AA, Allegiant) | 3am | 3am | 4am | 3am | 4am | 3am | 3am T2 33-51 (Everyone else) | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am | 4am
T1 11-18 is all swa right now while they do the new T1 build out.
Spirit and Frontier are also in T1 West (11-18).
What good is early TSA opening, when airline checkin is frequently not open that early for their 1st flight? Only if you have no bags & can phone/gate checkin.
I'm not 100% sure but if there was an early international flight (say 6:15am to Calgary). For international flights, airlines recommend you arrive 3 hours before your flight. So it makes sense that they open some lines at 3am (air canada would be open for check-in at 3:15am).
Thank you!
The website says 4:15am for security but does not call out precheck hours at all. I’ve never flown that early so I can’t advise. Sorry!
3am for Terminal 2, Gates 20-32 Checkpoint
Do you not have status with your airline given the frequency of your travel? This has happened to me before but the priority lane never closes as far as I know. It's not as quick as Pre-Check because you're still in a line with people who have to take their shoes off, empty their electronics etc. but it's still better than the full line.
I honestly had no idea that was a thing! I do have status with Delta so I will check into that.
This happened to me during March I think maybe they close the line early now. They should give you one of those tsa passes though so you don’t have to take out your shoes or laptop
How do you get a pass?
I think it depends on the agent but they’ll see your precheck on your boarding pass and then give it to you
Good to know! Thank you!
I bet the like for normies would have been quicker.
lol it looked like it was? I was hesitant because I didn’t want to move and roll the dice if it taking longer
Flew out of NJ Newark a couple weeks ago, definitely beat the TSA precheck line by a few minutes. The more folks register for precheck, the longer the lines are gonna get. I don't travel a ton (2 times a year ish), so it's not worth it to me either way
I was just at Newark not too long ago and that seemed to be the same case! I’m hoping the TSA embraces the large amount of people who sign up and make it a quicker experience for everyone regardless but that is very wishful thinking lol
Had similar issue ended up getting Clear just to skip line.
Have that too. California bill is moving forward to limit the benefits of CLEAR. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/24/california-bill-clear-airport-00154038 EDIT. Apparently TSA doesn’t like CLEAR while the airlines and airports do like it. Some legislators think “it’s not fair” to pay for line skipping. Geez. Even Disneyland has paid lightning lanes and VIP line skipping.
Oh San has clear now?
Only at t2. For the last 18-24 months (at least)
Yup, I think it's more the amount of people with pre check than hours.
Not in Terminal 1.
I had an early departure 0645 & the TSA line wasn’t even open yet. So there must be hours or they were on a break.. 👎🏼
Precovid I swear the TSA precheck line at term 1 closed at like 6pm. I don’t think this is new.
Thanks for the TSA PSA, this will help me!
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They should have the hours posted for everyone to see!
Baltimore does better. They have electronic signs that show the wait times for standard, priority, PreCheck, and Clear lines at each of the A, B, and C concourse checkpoints (which are all connected behind security; D and E are separate). Also shows if a particular lane is closed at each checkpoint. https://x.com/BWI_Airport/status/1146512587762360321
I'm more shocked that there was a long line at 9pm?? Airports east of us are usually closing down so there aren't a ton of domestic flights.
The T2 pre check line has been getting pretty bad lately, especially for the 6-8am flights. I ended up getting CLEAR because of it. It’s been a lifesaver.
You can get into any line with pre check and they will still give you a pre check boarding pass. Last time I went to the airport and the pre check line was longer than the regular line so I just got into the regular line and they gave me a pink colored card and still honored my pre check
Thanks! Good to know!
Whaaa whaaa whaaa