The Department of Homeland Security announced an expansion of Transportation Security Administration checkpoints for families traveling with children and military members on Thursday.
TSA will add a dedicated family lane at security checkpoints under a program called “Families on the Fly,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced at a press conference at Nashville International Airport. The project began with a pilot program in Orlando because of its close proximity to Disney World, she said, and it will be rolled out first in areas where families often travel with children.
“There will be expanded areas that will give them the benefit of recognizing that they have children with them and will help make sure that we have the ability to take care of them and their families as they go through this expedited process with their kiddos,” Noem said.
Families will also get a $15 discount if they enroll in TSA’s Trusted Traveler program, PreCheck.
The special lane for uniformed military members, called the Honor Lane, is currently available at 11 different airports, and will expand nationwide.
Noem also highlighted initiatives announced earlier this month including providing Gold Star families, the immediate family members of a service member who died while serving in the military during a time of conflict, access to the PreCheck free of charge.
“We want everybody to know that we’re extremely grateful for their service to our country and recognize the sacrifice that their families have made,” she said Thursday.
Military spouses will also be offered $25 PreCheck enrollment discounts and mobile units will be sent to military bases to sign people up.
Current members of the military and civilian Defense Department staff already have access to PreCheck benefits by including their DOD ID number as their “known traveler number” when making a reservation.
The announcements come after Noem announced last week that TSA would no longer require passengers to take off shoes at airport security checkpoints and she hinted on Wednesday that changes in what liquids passengers are able to carry on planes could come next.
“Remember every single thing that happens at a checkpoint today is being evaluated,” Noem said.
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