With summer travel ramping up and airports preparing for some of the busiest weeks of the year, keeping up with the latest TSA updates can help make your trip a little smoother.
Now, a new federal benefit allows eligible veterans with severe service-connected disabilities to enroll in TSA PreCheck at no cost, making airport security faster and more accessible, USA Today reports.
The program stems from the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS) Safe Travel Act, which was signed into law in early 2025 as part of a broader effort to improve the travel experience for members of the military community.
Instead of paying the standard enrollment fee, qualifying veterans can receive five years of TSA PreCheck benefits for free, giving them access to expedited security lanes at more than 200 airports nationwide.
Who qualifies for free TSA PreCheck?
To be eligible, veterans must meet all three of the following requirements:
- Be enrolled in VA health care.
- Have a service-connected disability that resulted in permanent blindness, the loss of a limb, the loss of use of a limb, or full or partial paralysis.
- Require the use of a VA-issued wheelchair or prosthetic limb because of that service-connected disability.
Eligible veterans should receive an official eligibility letter through their VA.gov account, which can be used when applying for TSA PreCheck.
Once enrolled, travelers can take advantage of shorter security lines and a more streamlined screening process. In most cases, TSA PreCheck members don’t need to remove their shoes, belts, or light jackets, and they can leave laptops and TSA-compliant liquids inside their carry-on bags.
The legislation also expands travel benefits beyond disabled veterans. Gold Star families are now eligible for complimentary TSA PreCheck enrollment, while active-duty service members’ spouses can receive a discounted enrollment fee.
For travelers who don’t qualify for the benefit, TSA PreCheck still costs between $76.75 and $85 for first-time applicants, depending on the enrollment provider.
