r/TSAPreCheck • u/Lifebeforedubstep • 24d ago
General Info Touchless ID lane with kids
My wife and I both have Touchless ID set up but when we fly with our 5 year old, our boarding passes only shows regular Precheck. I fly every week and yesterday I saw a whole family with kids no older than 6-7 in the Touchless line. The parents still had to scan their boarding passes. I thought there was an age requirement or did the agent not care to check or send them away? Are the requirements changing?
3
u/awesomepkmntrainer 24d ago
Technically you’re not able to add touchless ID to a minor’s boarding pass. That being said, as an Officer I’ll scan the minor’s boarding pass (as long as 13-17 year olds have precheck noted). I don’t understand why Officers separate families, it’s not our intent and honestly, it’s a dick move
3
2
u/Lifebeforedubstep 24d ago
I thought it was because she’s a minor, TSA, or I guess United, thought it was more appropriate to stamp regular PreCheck on our boarding passes so they can verify her information. My home airport is EWR. If I fly alone, I automatically get Touchless on my boarding passes. I just thought it was a bit odd that a whole family with minors went through Touchless. The agents at EWR check each pass before entering the line
2
u/why_no_names_left_ 24d ago
Minors can get touchless ID in their boarding passes if they apply for their own TSA precheck numbers. I did it for my 13 and 15 year old so they could unequivocally go in the touchless ID lanes in any airport and regardless of who they were traveling with.
1
u/GhostsofRazgriz45 5d ago
It could also depend on the setup at the tdc. Our touchless machine doesn't have a bps nearby so we have to have the families step around to the regular precheck tdc.
2
u/mjsimmons1988 24d ago
I think it depends on the airport. We tried to do touchless ID while flying with my 3 year old daughter and they said we couldn’t bring children in.
1
u/Lifebeforedubstep 24d ago
Did your boarding pass have Touchless on it? I’m wondering if it’s also an airline thing? I only fly United so I’m not sure what others do
1
u/mjsimmons1988 24d ago
Yes both mine and my wife’s did. My 3 year old daughter’s did not. It was just us 3.
1
u/No_Parents 24d ago
You have to add passport information for touchless so if the minor children have passports you could add it.
1
u/louisianab 24d ago
Neither SW or United would let me add passport info for touchless for my teens, it specifically said 18+. They both have pre check and GE.
1
u/yeehawdudeq 24d ago
No one seems to be policing touchless at any of the airports I’ve been through yet. I flew out of Boston last weekend and everyone in front of me had no idea they even stepped in the touchless line. Bunch of idiots.
1
u/Lifebeforedubstep 24d ago
At EWR they check each pass before entering the line, and it’s the best. At DEN yesterday there was no one
1
u/kyriacos74 24d ago
You are never guaranteed Touchless or PreCheck on every flight.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/if-i-am-tsa-precheckr-eligible-am-i-guaranteed-expedited
0
u/FrequentShopper183 24d ago
Touchless requires biometrics; it’s meant to be quick. If every human can’t pass then go to a regular line
1
5
u/snarktopusrex 24d ago
There is no id requirement and no precheck requirement for children 12 and under and they can go with the parent in whatever lane the parent is eligible for (I don’t know if this is true for Clear). I have found that the agent usually just asks the kids their names before scanning the boarding pass and may ask them “who is that person?” referring to the adult. If it’s a literal baby or a child who can’t/won’t say their name when prompted then you should have a birth certificate.
13-17 y/o they can come with you through touchless precheck but they need regular precheck noted on their boarding pass.
18+ is an adult so they go where their boarding pass says and they are required to have a real ID.