Does TSA PreCheck have a grace period after expiration?
Read today's edition of Gate Access • May 19th, 2025
Happy Monday. TSA PreCheck is valid for five years, but that long stretch can make it easy to forget when it's time to renew. So, is there a grace period if you miss the deadline? I break it down in today’s edition of Gate Access.
🚨 On The Radar
🟢 Delta is rolling out a revamped booking experience and renaming its fare products for travel starting October 1st, 2025. The overhaul includes clearer fare tiers—Basic, Classic, and Extra—within its rebranded Delta Main cabin (replacing Basic Economy and Main Cabin), with similar tiered experiences for higher cabins.
🟢 JetBlue and Dunkin’ are celebrating nearly 20 years of partnership with a new special livery, “Brewing Altitude,” adorning a JetBlue A320 in Dunkin’s signature pink and orange. Starting May 19, customers who fly the aircraft on Mondays can earn bonus status perks in both JetBlue’s TrueBlue and Dunkin’ Rewards programs.
🟢 Spirit Airlines is launching a new extra-legroom option called Go Comfy, featuring 32-inch pitch seats and added perks like snacks and carry-on bags, available for booking May 15 for travel starting July 9. At the same time, the Free Spirit® loyalty program is expanding with new redemption options, complimentary upgrades, and a two-checked-bags benefit for select cardholders.
🟢 United Airlines has revealed its new “Elevated” interior for upcoming Boeing 787-9s, featuring Polaris Studio business suites with privacy doors, caviar service, 27-inch 4K screens, and enhanced Premium Plus and Economy seating with Bluetooth and the largest seatback screens in the U.S. The first upgraded aircraft is expected by the end of 2025, with international service beginning in 2026.
I share a TSA Renewal tip in today’s extended version. Upgrade to paid today and never miss the juicy stuff.
😳 Wild TSA Bag Checks
TSA recently stopped a shotgun from going beyond the checkpoint after a traveler attempted to blend it in with their golf clubs. Can you spot the difference?
✈️ ATC Watch: The Latest Update
As flight delays and frustrations mount at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are offering competing but complementary explanations, both pointing to longstanding structural issues within the national airspace system.
In a message to United employees, CEO Scott Kirby emphasized that all flights remain safe, but delays and cancellations are the result of chronic airspace congestion and FAA limitations, particularly at Newark. He called EWR a “crown jewel” of the U.S. aviation network but stressed that the airport is operating beyond its safe capacity, especially during peak hours when more flights are scheduled than the FAA can manage, even in perfect weather. Kirby blamed the 2016 removal of Newark’s "slot control" system—a mechanism used at other major international airports to prevent overscheduling.
More on ATC Watch in today’s extended version of Gate Access. Upgrade to Paid
Delta Air Lines Exclusive
Last week, I broke an exclusive: Delta Air Lines is changing how it distributes complimentary headphones. Flight attendants will no longer walk the aisles to hand them out.
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👀 Does PreCheck have a grace period after the expiration date??
Per TSA, “Members may renew their TSA PreCheck® membership online up to six months before their expiration date. The new membership period begins as the current one ends, so there is no disadvantage to renewing early”. If you miss your renewal window, there isn’t a grace period, and you lose PreCheck status. If you bundled PreCheck with Global Entry, the process is a bit different. Here’s what you need to know.
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