TSA PreCheck - how and why you should get it
If your locums roadmap involves a lot of flying, TSA PreCheck is worth your while. You’ll save time and skip the hassle of taking off your shoes or pulling out your laptop at security. The more interesting part is how you should go about getting it.
Let Your Credit Card Pay for It. Most premium travel credit cards offer a statement credit for the TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry application fee (usually up to $120 every four years). Since you’ll likely be spending significantly on travel and professional expenses as a locum, you should get a card that offers this benefit.
Common cards that cover this fee include:
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Capital One Venture X
United Explorer Card (A good option if you frequently fly United to your assignments)
I personally used the United Explorer Card for this serendipitously before I even knew I wanted to do locums. I was already in the Chase rewards ecosystem, but I’ll go into more detail about the credit card points game in another post.
Pro Tip: If your card covers either Global Entry OR TSA PreCheck, get Global Entry*. It costs slightly more, but it includes TSA PreCheck. If you plan on any international travel during your time off, it’s a much higher-value perk for the same "free" credit from your card.
A quick tip on timing. Don’t wait until your assignment is booked to apply. It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to get your "Known Traveler Number" (KTN). Once you have it, save it in your frequent flyer profiles so it appears on your boarding passes automatically.
Don’t pay for this out of pocket. Pick a travel-focused card that fits your spending, let them cover the fee, and choose the program that’s the right fit for you.
*The caveat to this advice is that Global Entry requires a background check and a mandatory in-person interview at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office. It can be a longer process waiting for an interview slot to open up and a CBP office should ideally be accessible to you. Check out enrollment center locations here. Alternatively, many international airports now offer "Enrollment on Arrival," allowing you to do your interview at the customs booth when returning from a trip abroad.
