Traveling soon? A quick trip to Staples can save you hours in the security line.
You Can Get TSA PreCheck at Staples—Here’s How
Updated on Dec. 16, 2024
How many times have you stood in a long security line at the airport worried that you’ll miss your flight? No doubt, you glanced over at the people in the short and quickly moving TSA PreCheck line and felt a bit of envy for their life choices. If you’ve suffered through that stress more than once, it’s time to upgrade your travel experience at Staples, a one-stop shopping destination for savvy travelers. Not only does the brand offer expedited passport renewal services and same-day passport photo services, but you can also apply for TSA PreCheck at Staples.
Between long airport security lines and complicated rules around removing your footwear and unpacking your electronics and liquids, enrolling in TSA PreCheck can save travelers time and headaches. I take about 50 flights each year, and my TSA PreCheck “known traveler number” is hands-down my most prized possession—mine expired during the pandemic and I didn’t realize it until my first flight again in 2022, and I was absolutely devastated when the TSA PreCheck agent rejected me and redirected me to the long line with the masses. I renewed it immediately upon my return home and marked my next renewal date on the calendar so I don’t forget, as I never want to travel without it again.
Travel writer and author Bridget Crocker and Mackenzie Altig, known as @sonomackenzie on TikTok, have you covered on how the Staples TSA PreCheck enrollment process offers an easy life hack for travelers. Read on to find out what TSA PreCheck is, why you need it, and how to get it at Staples so that your next trip through airport security is a breeze.
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What is TSA PreCheck?
No one likes waiting in long security lines at the airport—and when you add in the hassle of taking off shoes, removing layers of clothes and rummaging through bags to find your liquids and other items that must be placed in the bins separately, it gets even worse (not to mention also worrying about what airport body scanners really see). That’s where TSA PreCheck comes in: This U.S. government program identifies travelers deemed low-risk by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and, once approved to participate in the program, they are eligible for quick, efficient screening at participating U.S. airport checkpoints.
According to the TSA website, benefits include, “a smoother security screening process with no need to remove shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts or light jackets.”
How do you apply for TSA PreCheck at Staples?
Typically, enrolling in TSA PreCheck requires travelers to visit a designated enrollment location—like the airport, ugh!—for fingerprinting, document and photo capture, and payment.
According to Staples website, it really is that simple. All travelers need is to follow these easy steps:
- Find a location. Search for the closest participating Staples by typing in your zip code on the Staples TSA services website. This service is available at 200 locations.
- Start your enrollment online. Visit the TSA PreCheck enrollment website to submit your information and prep for your in-person appointment.
- Confirm your location. During the application process, select your preferred store to schedule an appointment.
With those three easy steps, you’re ready to head to Staples for a process that takes just a few minutes—it’s one of the hacks frequent fliers rely on.
What’s the Staples TSA PreCheck enrollment process like?
As Mackenzie says, “If you’re looking to get TSA and you’re like ‘I don’t want to go to the airport,’ all you have to do is sign up on Staples the night before and go to your local Staples.” On the TSA PreCheck enrollment process, Mackenzie says, “they took our fingerprints, took a mug shot, we confirmed our address, typed in our social security number, and we were out of there,” with the entire process taking around “three minutes.”
@sonomackenzie This will save you so much time
It was Crocker’s first time applying, and she found the process just as easy—she spent five minutes filling out the form online, and then once she got to Staples had to wait about 10 minutes for the customer ahead of her to finish up before being seen. “I had to present either a passport or driver’s license and birth certificate,” she says. “The employee also insisted that I needed my marriage license to prove my maiden name, as it needed to match my birth certificate. Lucky for me, I didn’t change my name when I married, so my driver’s license name matches my birth certificate. She also fingerprinted me and took my photo and entered it into the system.”
Crocker got her approval two days later, even though she’d been told it might take a couple of weeks. “It seemed surprisingly fast to me,” she concludes. “It was refreshing to have an official government process be so simple.”
Other than Staples, where can you enroll in TSA PreCheck?
TSA PreCheck enrollment locations are located across the U.S.; enter your zip code in the tool to find location specifics and hours of operation. For new enrollments, TSA recommends pre-enrolling online first with the provider chosen to make the in-person appointment faster.
Aside from this and Staples, you can also enroll at selection AAA and Office Depot locations.
Should you bother enrolling in TSA PreCheck?
For frequent travelers, those flying with kids (children 17 and under can join an adult with TSA PreCheck when TSA PreCheck appears on the child’s boarding pass), anyone who consistently cuts their airport arrival close (the TSA website reports that about 99% of TSA PreCheck passengers wait less than 10 minutes), or those who simply want a stress-free travel experience, TSA PreCheck can be a lifesaver for both domestic and international travel. Plus, it only costs $78 dollars to enroll in, which means it breaks down to only $15/year over the course of its five-year lifespan (or roughly the cost of one breakfast sandwich at the airport).
It’s important to note that the TSA PreCheck program is only open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents. Applicants may be ineligible due to incomplete or false application information, certain violations of federal security regulations, or disqualifying criminal offenses and factors.
Once approved, you are eligible for TSA PreCheck for five years.
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. For this piece on airports with the longest wait times, Jill Schildhouse tapped her experience as a longtime travel writer and frequent traveler to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Bridget Crocker Travel writer and author of The River’s Daughter, email interview, Nov. 1, 2024
- Mackenzie Altig, @sonomackenzie on TikTok
- TSA.gov: TSA PreCheck
