preTSA heathrow

Is Washington DC your end point?

PreCheck is only a US thing.
You were probably on a US carrier? My recent Madrid to Phila. boarding pass (on American) also had PreCheck, but I knew it wouldn't mean anything in Madrid.

I have Global Entry and TSA Precheck but I can’t use any special line at Heathrow (flying Delta or Virgin Atlantic).

As already stated, TSA precheck means nothing outside the U.S. Queue up like everybody else and enjoy the line.

Yep. flying Virgin Atlantic to Washington D.C. We have used it flying United and it usually is ok. We liked flying Virgin Atlantic, great service and friendly cabin crew but waiting to board , it was demoralizing seeing "upper class" and not be able to use it. In my next life!!

I just completed an open jaw trip from Seattle-Amsterdam and Rome-Seattle, both via Frankfurt on Lufthansa. Both international legs had the TSA PreCheck on my boarding passes.

As others have said TSA PreCheck only applies to outbound flights that originate within the United States by participating airlines. I imagine it is a programing oversite – if an airline participates in the TSA PreCheck Program, you have entered your Known Traveler Number in your airline profile, and one of the flights has a US airport listed, then the TSA PreCheck appears regardless of whether or not it is available.

Davey hit the nail on the head. If you are flying on an airline that is part of the TSA precheck program and have given them your trusted traveler number, it could show up. But it means nothing outside the U.S.

Many Americans will go to the Fast Track security lines at some European airports thinking they can use them because it says TSA Precheck on their boarding cards. They can't.

IF you have a ticket for the "upper class" seats on the plane, most of the time you can use the expedited security lines at Heathrow and many other European airports just like passengers in the US can use the "priority" security lines (but not TSA Pre without the indicator on the boarding pass) reserved for 1st and business class passengers.

Also, if you are in 1st or business, you will get an expedited immigration pass as well for your arrival at many European airports.

Depending on your airline of course.

When we printed out boarding passes out for our flight from Heathrow
to Washington D.C. we had TSA precheck on the boarding pass. When we
got to Heathrow and were going trough security we were told there was
no difference. At other airports we went through a separate line. Any
info. on this??

Yes, I definitely have info for you! TSA lines are at US airports; there is no TSA at Heathrow.

it was demoralizing seeing "upper class" and not be able to use it. In
my next life!!

Demoralizing? You saved a bucket load of money not paying for those seats. Pat yourself on the back! :-)

We flew home from Heathrow today on United 17, and the United-printed card stock boarding passes did say TSA Pre on them. I certainly agree that this term is meaningless in another country. I have to guess that some executive at United wants to be able to say that "x percent" of their Silver and higher mileage customers got TSA Pre when they checked in. Kind of a Potemkin Statistic.

It is true that we were eligible for "Fast Track", but that term did NOT appear on the passes. We did successfully use Fast Track at Heathrow today.

Demoralizing? You saved a bucket load of money not paying for those seats. Pat yourself on the back! :-)

For some people it's not about saving money, for some it's the difference between a comfortable, enjoyable flight or a cramped, painful and downright miserable one.