TSA PreCheck Kicks Ass

I’ve talked about Global Entry a few times. Some of you just don’t care. You don’t travel much internationally and feel like it doesn’t matter. But TSA Pre-Check is an incredible “side effect” that applies to you, domestic traveler. It matters!

I flew to Dallas and back this weekend and breezed through security in both cities. Not “breezed,” like saving 10 minutes in the Priority line. We’re talking 90 seconds from entering security to leaving security. No taking shoes off, no laptop out of the bag, and no waiting in any lines at all. Here’s some TSA Pre-Check basics:

  • When you apply for Global Entry, have your interview, and “pass” it, you get TSA Pre-Check in addition to Global Entry.
  • A big reason why so many nerds have TSA Pre-Check access is the 100,000 Amex Platinum offer from January. With the Platinum cards, you get a credit for the Global Entry enrollment fee.
  • The fee is $100 total for both Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check. You can skip Global Entry, and get TSA Pre-Check alone for $85. Either way, you’re good for 5 years.
  • The way it works is that you get a Known Traveler number. You log into your airline accounts, add the number in your profile, and TSA Pre-Check will print on our boarding passes (see the check mark in my picture below). 
  • If you travel just a couple times a year, this is absolutely worth it. One of the coolest perks you can have at the airport. No lines, no shoe/laptop hassle, and you get to be the one cruising past the crowd.

500 Very Easy Delta SkyMiles

Get your SkyPesos here. This is targeted, but it’s working for many. Opt in for emails through the end of September and you get the miles.

There Are Still People Who Can’t Meet Spends

Sometimes, I just don’t understand.

  • You can move all your spending to credit cards. 
  • You can send $1,000 to a friend every month with Amazon Payments. 
  • For no fee, you can order $2,600 in gift cards with Chase credit every 30 days. 
  • You can buy up to $5,000 in Vanilla Reload and prepaid cards from CVS every single day.
  • You can unload Vanilla and gift cards using Bluebird.
  • Ever since all Visa/Mastercard gift cards got pin numbers, they can be unloaded for just 70 cents per $1,000 money order purchased at Walmart.
  • And on and on.
This has all been talked about. But I get an email every week from someone wondering how they can possibly meet a minimum spend. Wanting to know how much they should spend. And here’s the thing…
Even with Flyertalk and a million blogs, sometimes you have to find your own way. Sometimes you can do your own research and find the local shop in your area coded as an office store. And, yes, you alone have to figure out how hard to hit those gift cards at your local office store with your shiny Chase Ink. Because, I promise you, the people I know with the most miles…the ones whose AwardWallet balances make mine look tiny…they don’t wait to follow the crowd. They don’t always need to be spoon fed. And they definitely aren’t the type of people who dip their feet gently into deals, promos, and loopholes. They attack. They hit credit cards and gift cards and everything else hard. And they reap the rewards.

Much Better Ritz Carlton Card Offers

Instead of 70,000 points with that giant $395 annual fee…

You can get double the points (140,000) for the same $395. Or 70,000 points with no first year fee. Read about it in this thread. Many of you are a lot more stocked with miles than hotel points. If so, this is definitely a Chase card to consider. Ritz Carlton/Marriott points aren’t usually the easiest to earn. Good offers!

A Rare Request

I don’t think I’ve ever posted a request here before, but there’s a first time for everything…

Right now, I’m in the process of writing Part 2 of my Newbie Guide. I get asked a lot of the same questions and thought it would be good to go into a little more detail than I did in the original guide. If you guys have anything you’d like to learn more about, let me know what you’re thinking. You can email me or send me a Facebook message and I’ll read every suggestion. All ideas are welcome. Thanks!