TSA precheck

[morecowbells]

My husband and I are flying AA to Miami, then Cayman Airways to Cayman Brac. We have the Global Entry and TSA pre check which will help us from St. Louis to Miami. Since we are changing airlines in Miami, I imagine that we would need to claim our bags in Miami and re-enter through security. I do not see anywhere on the Cayman Airways website where I can enter a known traveler number. Of all the airports which I have traveled, it seems that Miami security lines are the worst. Any scubaboarders who have tried using the tsa precheck while flying Cayman Airways? Thanks in advance for any tips.

 

[Trailboss123]

You will be able to use TSA pre-check in Miami regardless of the airlines you are traveling with.
However, you should contact Cayman Airways and have them manually enter your number so that it appears on your boarding pass.

 

[PatW]

It is my understanding that Cayman Air does not support TSA precheck. On the way back, Global Entry works just fine.

 

[caydiver]

Yep it works in all US airports.

 

[Manatee Diver]

It is my understanding that Cayman Air does not support TSA precheck. On the way back, Global Entry works just fine.

That is my understanding as well, the airline needs to support TSA Precheck in order for you to use it. Some of the smaller foreign airliners without domestic partners might not support it.

 

[caydiver]

We go up and down through JFK all the time. Cayman is my airline of choice. When I get to the TSA security line I go on the TSA approved line. This is no matter who I am flying. TSA not the airline controls security at any of the US airports we have used. Another useful tool as well as Global Entry for arriving back in the States is Mobile Passport. Super easy as fast. Europeans have a similar but even easier method as their passports are chipped.

 

[OceanEyes]

Sorry to dispute you Trailboss123 and caydiver, but your statements are not entirely correct.

TSA pre does not work for all carriers at all US airports in all instances.

Non US flagged carriers do not have to recognize Global Entry, known traveler, or TSA Pre, and many do not.

I’ve had a Global Entry account since the plans inception and can recall many instances where Pre-check has not been available on international flights departing from the US. On recent departures from LAX I’ve flown on Air France and Fiji Airways. In both instances there was no TSA Pre available from those carriers. Likewise, a recent flight from MIA on Turkish Airlines did not offer TSA Pre. My most recent flight to Cayman was aboard a US flagged carrier, so I’m not familiar with current Cayman Airways protocols.

In the vast majority of my returns to the country, Global Entry status has worked as designed, but I do recall a pair of instances where the process was not silky smooth. On a recent arrival at MIA from Cuba, all passengers on my flight were led directly to the regular immigration line without access to the Global Entry kiosks. On another return to the US at MIA, all passengers on my flight from Cairo were denied access to the Global Entry portals, though this came in the wake of a notorious act of political/terrorist violence.

My suggestion to the OP, morecowbells: if you cannot confirm TSA Pre with your carrier, plan to arrive at MIA early enough to deal with “normal” check-in and security procedures.

I’m not a big fan of MIA, even though it is my “home’ port for much of my international travel. For outbound flights it has one positive aspect that I appreciate; good coffee is available if you know where to look. (Hint: It’s not Starbuck’s.)

Inbound: After dealing with the line at immigration, (if the Global Entry kiosk is not available), the joy of reading the sign that says “Welcome To Miami” that adorns the vending machine that for a meagre $5.00 will usually allow you to liberate a luggage cart with one wobbly wheel and a sticky handle, doing the luggage carousel bumper car rhumba after what may be a lengthy wait, you pick up your bags, (hopefully all there and with most or all of their contents in place and undamaged), and exit the terminal into the sultry air, redolent with the noxious fumes of bus exhaust, I know that I’m almost home.

 

[caydiver]

If the TSA precheck is not available no one gets to use it no matter who the carrier. Granted some carriers might be in terminals where it is not available at all or during specific times but if it is there and you are qualified, you can use it, unless of course you get the dreaded random XXXX on your boarding pass. Global Entry is not guaranteed depending on where you travelled from. With the US stand on Cuba, it makes sense from their point of view I guess. Never had a problem with it on Cayman Airways and have used it out of Miami to GC.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I can say that my experience is even when using carriers that don't support Precheck, I could still use my Global Entry. But that was a friendly country, Cuba, and Egypt (at that time) may be deemed to be too risky.

 

[The Chairman]

I imagine that we would need to claim our bags in Miami and re-enter through security.

On the way in, yes, but not on the way out. Leaving the USA your bags should be checked to your destination unless you have to pass through another country to get there.

On the way in, may I suggest that you use the smart phone app "Mobile Passport". It beats the heck out of Global Entry and doesn't cost a thing. I learned about it on the way into Miami. While we were rolling on the tarmac, I took my phone off of airplane mode, downloaded the app, put in all my digits and had cleared immigration BEFORE we even got to the ramp. The Mobile Passport exit was right by Global entry, only there was absolutely no line. I barely slowed down to show them my phone and I was through. Wow. There have been some lines on other flights, but I don't have to queue up to a console (only to be rejected twice now) so I save time there. You can use one phone for your entire party too. Just put their info in your Mobile Passport app before you sign in.