TSA PreCheck, the trusted traveler program that’s known for cutting waiting time in lines at airports has also become known for long waiting lines to be approved for the program, especially over the past year or so.
But there’s apparently a little-known shortcut to the process, pointed out recently by The Points Guy website—and it’s at office-supply store Staples.
The process for PreCheck approval starts with an online application, which is used to make a conditional determination of eligibility. The next step is to schedule an in-person appointment for an interview and document check. That’s the part that’s been taking forever, despite TSA having over 400 centers, many at airports.
Turns out, you can also be interviewed at several hundred Staples stores around the country (though not all), where appointments are much faster to get and for many people more convenient to get to. The process starts with a Staples website that checks for participating stores near you, and then passes you on to the official TSA enrollment site.
Cost of the program was recently reduced to $78 for five years.
