How To Enroll in TSA PreCheck Touchless ID Before Your Next Flight

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID lets you clear security without handing your boarding pass or ID to an agent. A camera verifies your identity using your face, and you keep walking.

In my experience, Touchless ID is often the shortest line at the airport because fewer travelers know it exists.

Here’s how to get it, step by step, along with what it actually costs. Touchless ID is free, but you’ll need a paid TSA PreCheck membership to use it.

What Is TSA PreCheck Touchless ID?

Touchless ID is a free, opt-in add-on for travelers who have TSA PreCheck.

Standard TSA PreCheck already helps you speed through security. You keep your shoes, belt, and light jacket on, and your laptop and liquids stay in your bag. Touchless ID goes a step further.

Instead of showing a physical ID and boarding pass to the officer, you step up to a camera that compares your live photo against the passport image you’ve shared with the TSA. If it matches, you’re cleared to keep moving.

The difference between TSA PreCheck and Touchless ID is simple. Standard TSA PreCheck is a paid membership that gives you access to the expedited lane. Touchless ID is a biometric layer you switch on afterward, at no extra charge, that replaces the document check step at security checkpoints.

You still need TSA PreCheck first. Touchless ID doesn’t replace it, and it isn’t a separate program you buy.

It’s also not automatic. Having TSA PreCheck doesn’t enroll you in Touchless ID; you have to opt in and share valid passport details. Once you do, a Touchless ID indicator appears on your boarding pass, and you can use the dedicated Touchless ID lane wherever it’s offered. The program has grown fast, jumping from 15 airports at the start of 2026 to 65 airports now, so there’s a good chance your home airport already has it or will soon.

Eligibility Requirements

Because Touchless ID builds on TSA PreCheck, travelers must meet 2 sets of requirements to use it. First, you need to qualify for TSA PreCheck. That means you’re a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident, and you can pass a TSA background check. A disqualifying criminal history or an incomplete application can delay processing, so apply with accurate information.

Second, you need a valid passport. The facial comparison works by matching your live image against your passport photo, so a passport (book or card) is the document that powers the whole thing. Without one on file, you can have TSA PreCheck and still not be able to use Touchless ID.

Finally, you need a way to opt in. Until recently, that meant saving your Known Traveler Number (KTN) and passport details to a frequent flyer account with one of the qualifying airlines: Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines Atmos Rewards, American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Southwest Rapid Rewards, or United MileagePlus. You must enroll in Touchless ID with each individual loyalty program.

As of June 2026, there’s a second path. Google Wallet now opens the feature to more than 100 participating airlines through a single digital ID. Either route works, so pick whichever fits how you fly. You’ll also need to be traveling through one of the 65 airports that currently support Touchless ID lanes.

Step-by-Step Enrollment Process

Getting Touchless ID is a 2-part process: First, you enroll in PreCheck, then you switch on Touchless ID.

Start with PreCheck if you don’t already have it. Go to the TSA PreCheck website and fill out the online application, which takes about 5 minutes and asks for basic details. Next, book an in-person appointment at an IDEMIA, Telos, or CLEAR enrollment center. You’ll find locations at many airports and in plenty of city offices. At the appointment, you’ll verify your identity, give your fingerprints, and pay the fee.

Once you’re approved and have your KTN, turn on Touchless ID. If you use Google Wallet, create a digital ID with your passport, then add your boarding pass after check-in. Eligible travelers see a “Get started” prompt, consent to share their ID and boarding pass with the TSA, and receive a confirmation code. Prefer to go through an airline? Save your KTN and passport details to each of your frequent flyer profiles, then opt in to Touchless ID for each account. Note that Southwest and United require you to enroll via their apps, and Southwest also requires you to scan your passport (it does not allow a photo upload).

Then, watch for the Touchless ID indicator on your boarding pass. That indicator is your green light. No indicator means you’ll use the regular TSA PreCheck lane and show your ID as usual.

What To Bring to Your Enrollment Appointment

The sole appointment in this whole process is the TSA PreCheck enrollment visit. You’ll need proof of identity, proof of citizenship or immigration status, and a way to pay the fee.

A valid U.S. passport is the simplest document to bring because it satisfies both requirements: photo identification and proof of citizenship. It’s also the same document Touchless ID relies on later, so a current passport sets you up for both steps.

Don’t have a passport handy? You can instead bring 1 document proving identity and a separate document proving citizenship. A driver’s license verifies identity, and a birth certificate or a Certificate of Naturalization verifies citizenship. Whatever you bring, the name on your documents has to match the name on your application exactly. A mismatch, like a maiden name on your birth certificate, can mean bringing extra paperwork, such as a marriage certificate, to bridge the gap.

Bring a card or another accepted payment method for the enrollment fee as well. If you’re renewing rather than enrolling for the first time, you can often skip the in-person visit entirely and renew online.

Timeline and Processing

Most people are surprised by how quickly TSA PreCheck approval is processed. After your in-person appointment, TSA PreCheck approval typically lands in 3 to 5 days. Many applicants get an email with their Known Traveler Number within a week.

That said, approval can take up to 60 days. A more involved background check, an unresolved record, or a citizenship question can stretch the timeline, and heavy application volume during busy travel seasons can slow processing.

Because of that window, don’t cut it close. If you have a trip coming up, apply at least a few weeks out — ideally more. For renewals, the TSA suggests starting about 60 days before your membership expires to avoid a lapse.

There’s no plastic card to wait for with TSA PreCheck. Your KTN is what matters, and you add it to your airline reservations to get the TSA PreCheck designation on your boarding pass. Once your TSA PreCheck is active, turning on Touchless ID is quick. The Google Wallet opt-in or the airline profile route takes a few minutes, and the indicator shows up on the relevant boarding pass.

The real wait is the front-end background check for TSA PreCheck approval; the Touchless ID layer is nearly instant once you’re cleared.

Cost and Payment

Touchless ID itself costs nothing. It’s a free feature for anyone who already has TSA PreCheck. The only thing you pay for is the underlying TSA PreCheck membership.

New enrollment runs from about $76.75 to $85 for 5 years, depending on which provider you use. IDEMIA is $76.75, CLEAR is $79.95, and Telos is $85. That works out to roughly $15 to $17 a year for expedited screening. Renewals can usually be done online.

You can pay by credit card, debit card, money order, company check, or cashier’s or certified check at your appointment.

Many travel credit cards reimburse the TSA PreCheck fee as a statement credit when you charge it to the card. Active-duty military members can also get TSA PreCheck at no cost. Between card credits and the free Touchless ID add-on, this can be a genuinely cheap upgrade.

Touchless ID Benefits at Airport Security

So what does all this get you at the checkpoint? At a Touchless ID lane, you skip the step of fishing out your ID and boarding pass and handing them over. You step up to the camera, it compares your face to your passport photo on file, and a match sends you straight through to screening. No document handoff, and no fumbling at the podium while the line stacks up behind you.

In practice, the payoff is speed. TSA PreCheck lanes are already faster because you leave your shoes, belt, and jacket on and keep liquids and electronics packed. Touchless ID trims the identity check. On my trips, the Touchless ID line has consistently been the shortest one at security, which is the whole point.

There’s a smaller perk that adds up on busy travel days, too. Because your hands stay free, you’re not juggling a phone, a passport, and a carry-on at the exact moment you’re trying to step forward in line. You look at the camera and go.

It’s worth knowing the limits. You can only use Touchless ID when the indicator appears on your boarding pass and at the 65 airports that currently support it, though that footprint continues to expand. Touchless ID is also voluntary. If you’d rather not use facial comparison, you can always use the standard TSA PreCheck lane and show your ID. There’s always a chance you may need to show physical ID, so bring it even if you’re enrolled.

Final Thoughts

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is one of the rare travel upgrades that comes with no additional fee once you’ve paid for the initial membership. Get TSA PreCheck, opt in through Google Wallet or your airline, and you’ve turned the fastest security lane into an even faster one.

First, enroll in TSA PreCheck (and use a travel credit card to cover the fee if you can), then switch on Touchless ID the next time you fly through a participating airport. Because the airport list keeps growing, if Touchless ID isn’t available at your home airport today, it might be soon.