Best of Hawaii
We are two couples traveling the Best of Hawaii in March 2026. Would it be worth us getting TSA Pre-check for the flights from island to island?
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We are two couples traveling the Best of Hawaii in March 2026. Would it be worth us getting TSA Pre-check for the flights from island to island?
Comments
That’s up to you. But you are only going to be as fast to get through as the slowest person in your group.
British is correct, but I think TSA Pre or Global Entry is worth it. You aren't always traveling with a group, Global Entry can really speed you through passport check when you return to the US from an international location. Global Entry includes TSA Pre.
Except for your home airport, Honolulu and on Maui, the other airports aren’t that busy.
I used my United miles to get TSA Pre. I think United still has that offer. It will be useful for other trips for I think five years.
I've had Global Entry/TSA Pre for almost 15 years. Definitely worth it if you have more trips on your agenda. Most of the premium credit cards cover the cost, as well. However, to be a contrarian to my own comment, it's less of a big deal now that you don't have to remove shoes any longer. But Global Entry is very much worth it if you travel internationally.
When I took this tour in 2021, Tauck purchased the interisland tickets, none of which showed pre-check numbers. The TSA agents at the airport would not allow people to use their Global Entry cards (that had the KTN number on them) to use the pre-check lane. Nevertheless, Global Entry, which includes precheck, is definitely worth getting.
I had my TSA number two years ago on all my tickets.
A tip for future travel - If you know which airlines are used for intratour flights (call Tauck and ask), set up accounts online with them before your trip, adding your KTN for US flights, so you get pre-check, and frequent flyer numbers, so you get miles credited.
When we booked our tour, the Tauck agent specifically asked if we had KTN/pre-check. Tauck strongly encourages everyone to have it unlike tours with on-tour flights in other countries on some non-US carriers where Pre Check is not recognized, e.g.Africa, etc. All three inter-island flights on Best of Hawaii are on regularly scheduled Hawaiian Air flights. Most of the flights were full. Tauck forwards the TSA info to them and it was on all three of our paper tickets.
If there are people on the tour who do not have pre-check, the TD must allow extra time for the group to check-in and go through security which means the bus must leave the hotel earlier than it would if everyone had pre-check. Flight days already have early check-out times!
And if you are missing frequent flyer credit from the short flights, you can always apply for it later. Worked every time for me!