What it means
The programme is run by the Transportation Security Administration, known as the TSA. Approved members usually keep shoes, belts and light jackets on and can leave laptops and liquids in their bags at the checkpoint, which cuts waiting and handling time.
To join, a traveller completes an application, attends an in-person appointment for fingerprints and identity checks, and pays a one-off fee. Membership is usually valid for five years before renewal.
The fee is modest compared with a flight or hotel, and several credit cards and corporate travel programmes reimburse it. For a company, the question is whether the time saved is worth the cost.
Time is a real cost, particularly for senior staff and sales teams whose hours are valuable. A business can compare the fee with the number of trips an employee takes and the minutes saved on each.
On the accounting side, a fee paid for an employee's business travel is generally treated as a travel and related expense. Many companies reimburse it under their travel policy, and in some tax systems it may be deductible as a business cost, though the rules vary, so the finance team should check the local treatment and the policy.
Related programmes include Global Entry, which adds expedited customs on return from abroad. For people who travel internationally, the extra programme may be worth more than the basic one.
The fees and terms are set by the government and can change, so check the official site before applying. A travel policy should state who pays, when the fee is reimbursed and whether staff repay it if they leave soon after.
Clear rules avoid disputes and keep the expense reports tidy.
In practice
Real-world examples.
Example
A consulting firm reimburses TSA PreCheck for all employees who travel more than six times a year. The finance team records the fee as a travel expense and reviews the policy every year.
Example
A freelance designer who flies monthly to meet clients pays the fee herself. She records the cost as a business expense for her accounts and checks with her accountant that it is allowed. She keeps the receipt with her other travel records for the year.
Example
A startup offers PreCheck as a perk for sales staff. The CFO estimates the policy costs $2,400 for 30 staff over five years and decides it is worth it because staff arrive at meetings less stressed and spend less time in queues.
Formula
Calculation
Net benefit = (Trips x Time saved per trip x Value of an hour) - Membership fee
Assume an $80 membership fee valid for five years. A sales manager takes 10 flights a year, so 10 x 5 = 50 trips over the membership. She saves 20 minutes, or one third of an hour, per trip, and her time is valued at $60 an hour.
Value of time saved = 50 x (1/3) x 60 = $1,000. Net benefit = 1,000 - 80 = $920. The cost per trip is 80 / 50 = $1.60, against a benefit of $20 per trip.Case study
Seen in the real world.
Brightpath Consulting is an illustrative, fictional firm with 60 staff, 25 of whom fly more than eight times a year. The finance director considered paying the PreCheck fee for these 25 travellers.
At an assumed fee of $80 each, the cost was 25 x 80 = $2,000 for five years. She estimated each saved 15 minutes per trip, and with an average cost of staff time at $50 an hour, the saving over five years was about 25 x 40 trips x 0.25 x 50 = $12,500.
The illustrative lesson is that a small cost can have a clear return. The firm adopted the policy, and added a rule that staff must repay the fee if they leave within a year. The finance director reviewed the saving after twelve months using travel records and found that the actual usage matched her estimate closely.
Watch out
Common mistakes.
- Assuming membership guarantees expedited screening on every trip, when the TSA can still send a traveller to the regular line.
- Forgetting that membership is time-limited, so renewals need to be tracked.
- Treating the fee as automatically deductible, when tax rules depend on the country and the circumstances.
Questions
People also ask.
What does TSA Pre mean?
It is shorthand for TSA PreCheck, a trusted traveller programme for faster security screening at US airports. Members receive a known traveller number to add to their bookings.
How long does membership last?
It is usually valid for five years, but the terms are set by the government and can change.
Is it worth it for a business?
It often is for frequent travellers, because the fee is small compared with the cost of employee time, but occasional travellers may not recover the cost.
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