Program helps reduce TSA check times at Roanoke airport

Travelers will be able to apply for TSA Pre here at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport from Oct. 17 to 21. (TSA photo) (Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) – TSA's PreCheck program will soon be available to applicants at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.

Residents of western Virginia and southern West Virginia will be able to enroll in the Transportation Security Administration's popular TSA PreCheck application program inside the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) terminal during the week of October 17 to 21.

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Travelers need only to make an appointment online, and complete their enrollment in-person or as a walk-in at the application center.

The enrollment center will be located in the Airport Commission Conference Room on the second floor of the terminal and will be open from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday (Oct. 17 to 20) and from 7 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, October 21. Walk-ins also are welcome.

TSA PreCheck is an expedited screening program that allows travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on, in select TSA airport checkpoint screening lanes.

More than 180 airports are participating in the program nationwide and 18 airlines participate in the program. Airlines include Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, Cape Air, Delta Air Lines, Etihad Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Lufthansa, One Jet, Seaborne Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country, United Airlines, Virgin America and WestJet.

Applications take about 10 minutes. Applicants can complete steps 1 through 7. At step 8, type in the location "Roanoke, VA." At the bottom of the screen, applicants can select an appointment time using the drop down menu to choose a date and/or time.

Enrollees must bring documentation proving identity and citizenship status. Click here for a complete list of required documents.

The application fee is $85 and is good for five years. It must be paid at the time of your appointment by credit card, money order, company check, or certified/cashier's check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Fingerprints also are required during the in-person enrollment session.

TSA says after completing enrollment, successful applicants will receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) via U.S. mail within a few weeks.

The enrollee should enter the provided KTN in the "Known Traveler Number" field when booking airline reservations.  The KTN also can be added when booking reservations online via a participating airline website, via phone call to the airline reservation center, or with the travel management company making reservations.