O'Hare Finally Gets On-Site TSA PreCheck Enrollment Center

CHICAGO, IL — O'Hare International Airport is the last of the nation's ten busiest airports to get a TSA PreCheck enrollment center on-site, after nearly a three year wait.

A new facility opened at the airport that allows passengers to enroll in the TSA program that allows eligible, low-risk travelers enjoy expedited security screening. The enrollment center is at the baggage claim area on the lower level of Terminal 1, which serves United Airlines, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.

TSA representatives told aldermen and media outlets that they were working on bringing an enrollment center to the airport in 2013. Many people were frustrated with the wait and questioning why O'Hare was unable to bring home the deal.

The first airport PreCheck enrollment center opened in Indianapolis on Dec. 4, 2013. O'Hare saw the third most passengers in the nation in 2015, but still lacked an enrollment center. No. 1 Atlanta and No. 2 Los Angeles have both had two TSA PreCheck centers since 2014.

United Airlines and TSA also plan on installing several automated security lanes to replace many of the now-manual functions at O'Hare this year to speed up the screening process for all travelers, The Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Along with gaining access to a separate security clearance, TSA PreCheck travelers don't have to remove their shoes, belts and jackets, and they can keep items like laptops in their bag during screenings.

In order to become a PreCheck traveler, one must: submit an online application, schedule an appointment at an enrollment center, and attend an in person appointment that includes a background check and fingerprinting. Having an on-site enrollment center at O'Hare will make the process much simpler for travelers.

Photo courtesy of Sean MacEntee/Flickr