American Airlines to simplify one of TSA PreCheck Touchless ID's biggest hassles

It's about to get easier to use one of the best new time-savers at U.S. airports.

American Airlines is preparing to deploy a new feature that will let flyers easily opt in to TSA PreCheck Touchless ID when they check in for a flight.

This should ease one of the biggest obstacles to using the new program from the Transportation Security Administration.

What is TSA PreCheck Touchless ID?

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID allows vetted TSA PreCheck members to speed through special security lanes without pulling out their wallet or boarding pass; a quick photo verifies their identity.

But to use the Touchless ID lanes, travelers must register in advance through their airline portal.

You typically have to go to your airline's website, log in to your profile and navigate to the personal information section of its website.

From there, you'll upload an image of your passport. Then, you can opt in to the biometrics the TSA uses for the Touchless ID program.

You have to do this for every airline you fly with; for example, if you've previously opted in for Touchless when flying United Airlines, that won't help you on American Airlines.

Here's what the opt-in page looks like with United:

Your registration is good for 12 months, and then you have to re-register (looks like I need to do that very soon, in fact, with American).

What if you forget to opt in to TSA PreCheck Touchless ID?

If you don't register for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID in advance, you'll generally have to use the "regular" PreCheck lanes.

And with some airlines, it's a similar story if you wait until the day of your flight to opt in to the program.

With some carriers, I've found that if you wait until check-in (or later) to opt into the program, you're unlikely to see the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID icon appear on your boarding pass.

American is making this part easier.

American to launch TSA Touchless enrollment at check-in

Starting in mid-August, the carrier will start letting passengers opt into the program during the online check-in process.

You'll still need a passport handy, since you'll need the passport information to complete the registration.

But this new setup should help passengers who forget about the Touchless ID option until it's time to fly.

TPG tip: When you have a few free minutes, go to your airline portal with every carrier you regularly fly with and register for the program.

American, United, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines (along with Hawaiian Airlines) each participate.

By doing this now, you should be clear to use the Touchless lanes with any of those carriers when you go to book a flight, as long as you attach your reservation to your loyalty number.

Are you eligible? Every airport and airline with TSA PreCheck

Bottom line

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID has rapidly expanded to dozens of new airports in recent months. It's now available at more than 60 major airports, including most of the hubs for the five largest U.S. airlines.

Participation in the program is optional for all PreCheck members.

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
• Which US airline is best? TPG's 2026 rankings
• Flight delayed or canceled? Here's what to do
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations
• Was the 'fast, free' Wi-Fi really slow on your flight, too? Here's what's going on