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“Touchless” entry at airport security

I’m heading out this morning to Naples, Florida, and am leaving from MSP. Yesterday, when I checked in, I noticed that I had a new symbol on my digital boarding pass right next to the TSA logo that normally appears. It said “Touchless.”

I wasn’t sure exactly what it meant but when I got to the airport this morning, I saw that MSP had a line for TSA and then a separate line for Touchless TSA. I joined that line. I was the only person there and sailed past all the other lines, including TSA.

When I got to the end, the agent directed me to stand on a pad and put my feet in the appropriate spots. I faced forward and within three seconds he told me to go on. I did not need to show any ID, not even my boarding pass. It was the fastest I’ve ever gotten through security

Edit: i’m editing this as part of it was incorrect as noted below. You’re eligible for the “Touchless” classification, as long as you have TSA, your airline has your known traveler number and relevant information and you opt in. See posts below for further details and there is a link posted by Frank. I’m sure not all airports have it, but the large ones do now. Certainly MSP.

Posted by
3721 posts

Oh wow, that sounds nice! I already added my passport to my wallet, but will need to make sure my husband does that as well. Thanks!

Posted by
30 posts

Wait how do you add your passport to your digital wallet? I am unfamiliar with this! Is there a website to get a digital version?

Posted by
18396 posts

It has nothing to do with your digital wallet. To get Touchless TSA you have to:

1) Have TSA Precheck

2) Have your passport information stored in your airline's profile

3) Opt in via your airline.

It's only available at some airports and with some airlines.

https://www.tsa.gov/touchless-id

Posted by
11176 posts

Frank, you’re right. I must’ve misread that. I do know the important thing is to opt in.

Here are the specific instructions for that:

Select “OPT IN” on your profile or at airline check-in: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines

Although I do think having a digital passport in your digital wallet is a good idea. 😊

Posted by
496 posts

A bit of a tangent but boarded a United flight in Houston to Oaxaca, Mexico and didn’t have to show either a boarding pass or a passport at the gate. They used facial recognition.

PS: Weather on Sanibel last week total crap one day, hope you do better.

Posted by
2407 posts

Thanks for posting this information as well as the other post about putting your passport in your digital wallet. I've bookmarked since I don't use a digital wallet currently. It's just me needing to get used to having financial information on my phone.....troglodyte, I know.

Posted by
11215 posts

I have used this a couple of times at Atlanta when I have stayed there overnight before heading on to Tulsa.

But I really do not remember opting in. I just noticed the other lane a couple of times, then noticed once it was printed on my boarding pass and tried it.

Posted by
16546 posts

That is so cool, Mardee! Thanks for sharing your experience.

Posted by
3721 posts

Kim--I was reading this to my husband and told him I would do his for him. He was already opted in, and he has no idea how that happened.

I was curious to see how this and Clear were different, and Google had a good description of how the two work best together. Hopefully my husband will pay attention this week when he flies to see how it works.

Posted by
4349 posts

Thanks for this tip and on another thread the tip for storing DL information in our Wallets. We did both this morning but my DL wasn’t verified yet, 4 hours and counting, although my husband's verification happened within minutes. I see that my local airport doesn’t use the Touchless feature yet but our big international airport does. I too hate having to dig my DL out of its zippered, tethered pocket at the airport while juggling the phone with boarding passes and my hand luggage. It will be nice to have at least two things quickly accessible on my phone.

Posted by
259 posts

Thanks, Mardee! I have no idea when I will travel again, but I will update my profile in the Delta app to opt in.

ETA: I was already opted in!

Posted by
96 posts

With more airports coming online with TSA Touchless Precheck Clear may be losing customers.

Posted by
5869 posts

Good to know how it worked! I had to opt in for AA on my account profile, but haven’t flown since doing so.

Posted by
16546 posts

I went to my Delta profile this morning on my laptop and see I am automatically opted in. I could not find it by going in through the Delta App on my iPad Mini last night but going in via the website this morning it was right there.

Posted by
496 posts

It’s not in my Delta app either. I did toggle “facial recognition” on in my profile for what that is worth.

Toggled on in AA app, easy to find.

Edit: As noted above easy to find in delta.com profile if missing in app.

Posted by
945 posts

My son got back in the US (MSP) last night with just facial recognition. He said it was so quick.

Posted by
496 posts

BAH! Was going to add touchless ID to my Southwest account but epic fail. Won’t accept passport scan because “gender does not match account.” (Gender is null in profile). Can’t add a gender to account profile without uploading a birth certificate scan. BAH! Will never get done.

Posted by
11176 posts

mnannie, that's great! It was so nice to just walk past everyone else standing in line!

For anyone who's having trouble finding it on the Delta website, you just need to go to your profile, click on Personal Details and scroll down towards the bottom. It's right below Passport Info.

Posted by
3147 posts

was curious to see how this and Clear were different, and Google had a good description of how the two work best together. Hopefully my husband will pay attention this week when he flies to see how it works

Clear is more expensive and has longer lines

Honestly clear is a huge waste of money and I used to get it for free and quit letting my credit card company pay for it because why should they waste their money on this lousy service?

Just to give you an example, I flew to St. Louis a few weeks ago on a Friday afternoon. By a miracle of travel when I got to the pre-check lines in Atlanta there were about three people in the regular pre-check line, there was nobody in the touchless line and there was nobody in the clear line. I get into the touchless line and a woman beside me goes into clear so I tracked it. I was through the screener before she got to starting to get her luggage through the screening. it also appeared that the regular pre-check line which had three people in it would have been faster than clear. Save your money. They don’t work best together unless you just want to give away cash and be in longer lines.