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Will SWA be offering TSA Pre-Check to be purchased with Rewards points again? If so, when?
Thanks
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Your question implies they offered this at one time. Perhaps I missed it, but considering the only thing you can currently get with Rapid Rewards points besides flights is a few gift cards I don't expect Southwest to offer the ability to "purchase" TSA PreCheck with points. It's well worth the the $85 for five years of PreCheck though if you fly even just occasionally.
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Southwest did offer this in 2016, the cost was 9,000 RR points. It wasn't a good deal vs paying the $85, and I don't see it being offered again.
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That's a horrible deal, 9000 points will get you about $160 of flights
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For a little extra money you can also go the Global Entry path, which includes TSA Pre and may help you with international travel if you plan to make any applciable trips.
Your global entry card will also serve as valid TSA identification in case you wanted a backup.
My experience with Global Entry so far has been varied - the limited number of international flights at MDW meant that a trip to Toronto was faster to use the regular lines than the kiosk. I would call it a draw at MKE once where thet lines were pretty short anyway. One other trip it saved some time.
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Oh, Global Entry is VERY much worth the $15 even if you have just one or two international trips in the next 5 years. In Denver it has let me avoid all lines, use a kiosk, and walk out of the customs area without having to interact with a customs agent besides handing them my receipt on the way out the door. As @DancingDavidE mentioned, each experience may be different, but at just $3/year it's worth the extra bit of work required to get it (the in-person interview is quick and mostly painless).
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Ironically my best Global Entry experience was Denver - but then the biggest delay that time was that Southwest's old software didn't end up putting the TSA Pre on my connecting flight back to MDW, some hiccup with the international bookings at the time - hopefully that bug is fixed in the new system.
Not a big deal except I had been waiting in the wrong line and got to the front to realize no PreCheck! 'scuze me, pardon me...all the way back.
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Was it before late 2016? My understanding is KTNs and international bookings got fixed around this time last year. I've sadly not flown Southwest internationally though so I can't comment on my experience.
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I wish Southwest would offer this benefit again.
The ripoff isn't the rewards points charged, it's our government charging us extra in order to get a reasonable level of service at the airports. The absurdity is that anyone can buy their way out of security screenings. I strongly suspect Tim McVeigh would have been able to get precheck after his honorable discharge.
Anyway, 9,000 points is a decent deal for a purchase made outside Southwest. Gift cards are 1,000 pts per $10; and that penny-a-point seems pretty standard for most card point programs. As an aside, getting gift cards is a pretty efficient use of points. It's a bit of a process, but most items you can buy directly with points can be purchased for fewer points by getting a gift card first, then purchasing the same item through a retailer.