TSA PreCheck Family Discount Slashes Costs Through Oct. 31
The Transportation Security Administration is sweetening its "Families on the Fly" campaign with a limited-time TSA PreCheck family discount. From now until October 31, first-time applicants who enroll together at an IDEMIA location pay the full $76.75 for the first traveler and receive $15 off the second. Larger groups save even more-sign up four people at once and the total discount reaches $30. The offer follows TSA's new "Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease" initiative, which gives military spouses $25 off enrollment or renewal. Both programs aim to make airport screening faster, calmer, and more affordable for parents, kids, and service families alike.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Families often face the longest security delays at busy hubs.
- Travel impact: Two adults plus kids can save $30 on lifetime-valid, five-year memberships.
- What's next: More pop-up enrollment sites are expected ahead of Thanksgiving.
- IDEMIA is TSA's original, largest PreCheck enrollment partner.
- Military spouses still qualify for their separate $25 discount.
Snapshot
TSA PreCheck allows approved travelers to keep shoes, belts, and light jackets on, leave electronics in bags, and use dedicated lanes at over 200 U.S. airports. Membership lasts five years, working out to roughly $15 per year after this TSA PreCheck family discount. To claim the savings, each member of the party must be a first-time applicant, appear together at the same IDEMIA center, and mention the "family discount" at check-in. Renewals, mobile enrollments, and other providers are excluded. The promotion dovetails with TSA's new family screening lanes debuted at Orlando International (MCO) and Charlotte-Douglas (CLT), which promise stroller-friendly space and kid-sized bins.
Background
Since launching in 2013, TSA PreCheck has grown to 19 million members, yet only a fraction are children. Under existing rules, kids 12 and younger can accompany a parent for free, but teens must enroll individually. That cost barrier has discouraged many larger families. IDEMIA, the French-American biometrics firm behind most U.S. state driver's-license kiosks, operates more than 560 enrollment centers nationwide, including airport, AAA, and Staples branches. Its executives say family travel surged 30 percent this summer, prompting TSA to spotlight pain points such as lengthy stroller inspections and crowded bins. By lowering first-time fees, officials hope to shift more groups into expedited lanes ahead of the peak Thanksgiving and Christmas rush, when average wait times can exceed 45 minutes at major hubs.
Latest Developments
How the Families on the Fly Discount Works
Qualifying parties must schedule consecutive appointments-or walk in-at an IDEMIA site before October 31. The system automatically applies the $15 reduction to the second, fourth, sixth, and so on, traveler in the same transaction. Fingerprinting, document checks, and the in-person interview remain unchanged. After approval, which TSA says now averages three to five days, members receive a Known Traveler Number that airlines embed in reservations. Children turning 13 during the five-year term retain benefits without extra paperwork. Families on the Fly also includes child-friendly signage and play-area pass-throughs at select checkpoints.
Military Spouses Get Separate Savings
Under July's "Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease" campaign, TSA cut $25 off both initial enrollment and renewals for spouses of active-duty and Reserve personnel. Gold Star families can enroll for free, while service members themselves already enjoy complimentary access. The military program runs indefinitely but can't be stacked with the Families on the Fly offer. TSA encourages eligible spouses to bring a dependent-ID card and proof of marriage to streamline processing.
Analysis
Airports processed more than 2.9 million passengers per day this July, eclipsing pre-pandemic peaks. Families, often juggling car seats, liquids, and restless children, remain the most resource-intensive segment for security officers. Expanding TSA PreCheck through a TSA PreCheck family discount addresses two bottlenecks at once: it diverts multi-bag travelers into faster lanes and frees standard lanes for occasional flyers who might lack travel savvy. IDEMIA's extensive retail footprint simplifies enrollment, especially in suburban areas far from airports. However, critics note that security lines have already improved since TSA ended the shoes-off rule for domestic travelers in May. The agency counters that PreCheck lanes still average 10 minutes, compared with 25 minutes for standard screening on peak days. For cost-conscious families, adding four passports and fingerprints can still total over $250 even after discounts, so uptake will hinge on perceived value versus free family lanes at select airports. Credit-card fee credits from issuers like Chase and Capital One may sway fence-sitters.
Final Thoughts
With holidays looming, the TSA PreCheck family discount offers an uncomplicated way to shave time, stress, and money from airport routines. Group enrollment locks in five years of hassle-free screening at a price unlikely to be repeated soon. Travelers who act before October 31 will board the season's busiest flights via faster, stroller-friendly lanes, leaving more time for navigating parking, dining, and connecting gates. Families waiting until winter risk higher queues and paying full freight, so early action is the smart play. By easing both cost and access, TSA is signaling that streamlined security is no longer a perk for elite road warriors but a baseline convenience for every traveling household.