GREAT FALLS, Mont. - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced the start of TSA Pre✓® operations at Great Falls International Airport (GTF). TSA Pre✓® is an expedited screening program that allows eligible Trusted Travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and keep 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels in a carry-on bag during the security checkpoint screening process.
TSA will offer TSA Pre✓® during peak travel times at GTF. Local residents can become eligible for TSA Pre✓® on a consistent basis by signing up this week at a temporary application center located on the second floor of the airport, near the administration office.
“Many passengers departing Great Falls will now have the convenience of being screened in a dedicated lane during the busiest times of day at the security checkpoint. This will make the checkpoint experience more streamlined and efficient without compromising security,” said Dan Fevold, TSA federal security director for Montana. “By moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to aviation security, TSA can focus our resources on passengers who may pose a higher risk, while providing expedited screening to those who have been identified as low-risk travelers.”
“The Great Falls International Airport Authority is excited to introduce a new TSA Pre✓® lane at our security checkpoint,” said John Faulkner, director of Great Falls International Airport. “As enrollment in the program has grown, we believe the TSA Pre✓® lane will enhance both our customer service and the throughput capacity of our checkpoint. We would like to thank TSA for helping us to implement this exciting enhancement.”
The enrollment center at the airport is open through Friday, April 20. The hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. On Friday, the hours are 7-11 a.m. and noon to 4 p.m. The Great Falls airport is located at 2800 Terminal Drive.
The process to make an appointment begins online at tsa.gov/precheck. Click on the words “Start Application Now” to begin the application process. Select “Great Falls International Airport” as the application center location.
You will need to complete the enrollment process in-person at the application center. Applicants must bring a current U.S. passport or a driver’s license and certified copy of a birth certificate and fingerprints will be collected during the in-person session.
The application fee is $85 and Trusted Traveler status is good for five years. It can be paid at the time of your appointment by credit card, money order, company check, or certified/cashier’s check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Walk-ins are permitted and will be accommodated around scheduled appointments.
Once approved, individuals will receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) making them eligible to utilize dedicated TSA Pre✓® lanes on a consistent basis at security checkpoints at more than 200 airports nationwide. Children 12 and under are permitted to use the TSA Pre✓® lane when traveling with a TSA Pre✓®- eligible parent or guardian.
The dedicated lane at GTF will be open during the early morning hours from 4:30-7:00 a.m. It will also be open late morning and when passenger volumes peak and there are multiple flights scheduled to depart around the same time.
Recent changes implemented by TSA nationwide require travelers to remove electronics larger than a cell phone and their travel-size liquids from their carry-on luggage during the security checkpoint screening process. These procedures do not apply to passengers who are being screened in a dedicated TSA Pre✓® lane.
Forty-seven airlines participate in TSA Pre✓® and travelers departing a U.S. airport flying on any of those airlines are eligible for expedited screening. All airlines serving GTF participate in TSA Pre✓®. As always, TSA continues to incorporate random and unpredictable security measures both seen and unseen throughout the airport. All travelers will be screened, and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening.
For more information on the Department of Homeland Security’s four Trusted Traveler programs, visit https://ttp.dhs.gov/. Any of DHS’s Trusted Traveler programs include TSA Pre✓® benefits.