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Tips for booking airline trips
Brian Kelly, Found of The Points Guy, shares important tips for anyone looking to fly.
WASHINGTON - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced Wednesday a new partnership with Google Wallet that will allow eligible travelers to enroll in TSA PreCheck Touchless ID directly through the digital wallet platform.
The move would streamline airport security screenings and reduce the need for physical identification documents.
TSA offering TSA PreCheck Touchless ID on Google Wallet
Big picture view:
Google Wallet is the first digital wallet provider to offer access to TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, a program that uses facial comparison technology to verify travelers' identities at dedicated screening lanes.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) pre-check sign stands at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. (Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The technology allows participating TSA PreCheck members to move through security checkpoints without presenting a physical ID or boarding pass.
What they're saying:
"TSA under President Trump and Secretary Mullin is fully dedicated to enhancing the passenger experience through advanced technology and strategic partnerships," TSA Modernization Acting Chief Innovation Officer Shelu Patel said in a statement. "Our collaboration with Google helps our trusted TSA PreCheck travelers enjoy the fastest route through airport security. Delivering seamless experiences like this is one more way TSA is working to deliver the Golden Age of Travel."
How to use TSA PreCheck on Google Wallet
What you can do:
Under the new process, travelers checking in with a participating airline can add their boarding pass to Google Wallet.
Eligible users with a qualifying digital ID will receive a "Get started" button in the app to enroll in TSA PreCheck Touchless ID.
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After consenting to share their digital ID and boarding pass information with TSA, travelers receive confirmation and a success code to Google Wallet, and a Touchless ID indicator is added to their boarding pass.
Where is Google Wallet’s TSA PreCheck Touchless ID available?
Dig deeper:
The Touchless ID program is currently available at 65 airports nationwide. With the Google Wallet integration, eligible passengers traveling on any of the more than 100 TSA PreCheck-participating airlines can use the service at participating airports.
TSA said travelers still have the option of saving a valid passport to their profile with one of six airlines – Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest or United – and manually opt in for each one individually.
"We're excited that Google Wallet technology is helping make TSA airport checkpoints faster and easier for travelers," P.J. Linarducci, the vice president of product management, Consumer Payments, at Google, said. "This collaboration aligns perfectly with our goal to make digital experiences more secure and convenient, and we look forward to seeing it roll out broadly just as the busy summer travel season gets underway."
The Source: The information for this story was provided by TSA. This story was reported from Los Angeles.