Great news for those who have endured the torture that used to be known as security at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. PreCheck has officially arrived.
You might be aware of the secret checkpoint downstairs, which has saved me great stress and aggravation over the last couple years. That remains open. But that is not what I’m talking here.
Finally, after years and years of waiting, an official PreCheck security lane has opened in the “regular” security checkpoint area of the terminal.
During my recent Air France trip, I was surprised when my escort took me upstairs instead of downstairs. She explained that with a new dedicated PreCheck lane, it was now much quicker to go upstairs. Indeed it was. We experienced virtually no wait to clear the checkpoint and came right out into the Villaraigosa Pavilion; no long walk to the lounge was necessary like the checkpoint downstairs.
As you approach the central security checkpoint, take the left escalator banks up to PreCheck. The right escalators take you to normal security. Contracted agents are stationed to check your boarding pass and ensure you are PreCheck eligible.
CONCLUSION
It’s so nice to finally have PreCheck at one of the busiest terminals in the country. Note, if you do not have PreCheck you will still generally save a lot of time by proceeding to the secret downstairs checkpoint. But for those with PreCheck, I find the trip downstairs no longer make sense. Remember, downstairs is only “modified” PreCheck, meaning shoes stay on but laptops and other electronic devices must come out of the bag. Upstairs is the real thing…
> Read More: The Best Kept Secret at LAX
Its been there for a while,.. welcome to 2018
I think it opened last April?
First time I saw it. It’s not well-advertised and for those who instinctively just go downstairs to the alternate security checkpoint, hopefully this will be helpful.
Is there Clear there as well? Clear + TSAPre = Happy Traveler.
I used it in October and asked when it had opened. They said a few months before.
We were the only ones using it at 4pm
Zach at TPG stoke your article btw. Those guys are clowns.