Denver Adds TSA PreCheck Touchless ID Lanes

Published on Aug 6, 2025, 9:19 am CDT

4 min read

Denver International Airport (DEN) now offers TSA PreCheck Touchless ID lanes at both security checkpoints, giving eligible travelers on Alaska, American, Delta, and United a truly hands-free way to clear document control in about eight seconds, versus up to 20 seconds in standard PreCheck lines.

Key Points

Why it matters: DEN is the 14th U.S. airport to deploy Touchless ID, underscoring biometrics' rapid expansion.
Travel impact: Photo-match checks average eight seconds, trimming ID time by roughly two-thirds.
What's next: TSA lists 12 more hubs on its rollout map, signalling wider adoption before the 2025 holiday rush.

Snapshot

Touchless ID uses a facial-recognition camera to match a live image against a pre-stored passport photo held in the traveler's airline profile. Opt-in remains voluntary, and flyers can still request a manual check. TSA deletes captured photos within 24 hours, addressing some privacy concerns while promising faster throughput. Early metrics show eight-second processing times, well below the agency's 10-minute wait-time benchmark for PreCheck lanes.

Background

The Touchless ID pilot began in 2021 at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) with Delta and United. Subsequent launches reached Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). TSA now lists active lanes-varied by airline-at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Harry Reid-Las Vegas (LAS), Newark Liberty (EWR), Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), Salt Lake City (SLC), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA), and San Francisco (SFO). Denver's arrival adds a Rocky Mountain hub to that network.

Latest Developments

Dedicated lanes and airline participation

Both East and West checkpoints at DEN feature clearly marked "TSA PreCheck Touchless ID" entrances. To use them, travelers must have an up-to-date passport stored in their airline profile and tick the Touchless ID consent box during mobile check-in. DEN's configuration mirrors larger hubs like ATL and LAX, where dedicated biometric lanes relieve peak-hour congestion. Airport CEO Phil Washington said the partnership "delivers a quicker, more convenient screening experience," aligning with DEN's $2.1 billion Great Hall modernization.

A single opt-in covers future trips, and participating carriers hint at adding bag-drop and boarding-gate photo checks later this year. Travelers wanting broader context can review our earlier look at Capitol Hill's proposed TSA biometric-ban bill. (https://adept.travel/news/2025-08-02-tsa-biometric-ban-bill)

Analysis

Biometric ID programs rise and fall on three pillars: speed, security, and privacy. Speed is clear-shaving 10-12 seconds per traveler compounds into thousands of saved staff hours on busy days. Security also improves; facial-match algorithms spot fake IDs that a rushed officer might miss. Privacy, however, remains contentious. TSA promises 24-hour deletion, yet critics note that images transit DHS servers and can be retained for up to 180 days under separate programs. Airlines benefit through app stickiness and customer data, while airports recapture queuing space. For travelers, the calculus is simple: trade a quick scan of your face for less wallet juggling and potentially shorter lines. Opt-out rights protect those uneasy with biometrics, but the queue may move slower. As Denver joins the roster, adoption momentum suggests Touchless ID could become the PreCheck default by 2027-unless federal privacy legislation intervenes.

Final Thoughts

Denver's launch signals that biometric screening has moved from pilot project to mainstream perk for trusted travelers. Expect more carriers to enable automatic enrollment prompts, and more airports to carve out space for cameras and signage. If the early eight-second averages hold, TSA PreCheck Touchless ID may soon redefine what frequent flyers consider "fast," setting a new baseline for secure, contact-free travel. TSA PreCheck Touchless ID now looks less like a novelty and more like the future of U.S. checkpoints.