You’re standing at the kitchen counter, half-packed suitcase looming in the corner, and you’re staring at the airline checkout screen. It’s asking for your Known Traveler Number. You know you have one. You paid the eighty-five bucks (or seventy-eight, depending on when you renewed). You did the fingerprinting. But where is that pesky nine-digit code? If you’re frantically searching your brain or your messy "Travel" email folder for how to find my TSA PreCheck number, take a breath. You aren't the first person to lose it, and honestly, the government doesn't exactly make the retrieval button the biggest thing on their website.
It’s just a number. But at 6:00 AM on a Tuesday at O'Hare or LAX, that number is the difference between keeping your shoes on and standing in a 40-minute line behind a family trying to collapse a stroller for the first time.
Where Did the KTN Actually Go?
Most people call it their "PreCheck number," but officially, it’s your Known Traveler Number (KTN). If you got your status through the TSA PreCheck Application Program, your number usually starts with "TT." If you’re a Global Entry member, it’s likely a nine-digit string starting with 15, 98, or 99.
The easiest way to find it—if you haven't deleted every email from the Department of Homeland Security—is to search your inbox for "KTN" or "TSA." But let's be real. If you’re reading this, you probably already tried that and came up empty.
You’ve got a few distinct paths here. The path you take depends entirely on how you got your PreCheck in the first place. Did you apply directly through the TSA? Are you a Global Entry devotee? Or are you a military member who gets it for free? Each one has a different "lost and found" department.
The Direct Route: The TSA Website Lookup
If you applied through the standard TSA PreCheck program (the one managed by Idemia or Telos), you need to head to the official Universal Enroll website.
Don't let the government-style interface scare you. There is a specific "Check Status" tool. You’ll need to provide your legal name, date of birth, and either your email address or phone number. If the system finds a match, it’ll spit out your KTN right there.
Sometimes the system is finicky. If you moved recently or used a different email address during your initial appointment three years ago, the lookup might fail. In that case, you’re looking at a phone call to 866-289-9673. It’s a bit of a wait, sure, but the agents can usually verify your identity and give you the number over the phone. They operate from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM ET on weekdays and 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM on weekends.
The Global Entry Loophole
A lot of travelers forget that Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck. If you are part of the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) through Customs and Border Protection (CBP), you won't find your number on the TSA website.
Instead, you have to log into the TTP Dashboard.
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Once you log in with your Login.gov credentials—which is a whole other layer of security—your KTN will be listed under "PASSID" on the right side of the dashboard. That PASSID is your PreCheck number. It’s the same thing. People get confused because the acronyms change, but for the airline's "Known Traveler Number" box, that nine-digit PASSID is your golden ticket.
Also, look at the back of your Global Entry card. It’s printed right there in the top-left corner. If you have the physical card in your wallet, you don't even need the internet to find my TSA PreCheck number.
The Military Secret
Active duty, Reserves, and National Guard members get PreCheck for free. They don’t even have to "apply" in the traditional sense.
If you're military, your KTN is your DoD ID number. It’s ten digits long and found on the back of your Common Access Card (CAC). When you book a flight, you just enter that ID number into the KTN field. It’s remarkably simple, yet thousands of service members stand in the long security lines because nobody told them their ID card was a fast-pass.
Why Your Number Might Not Be Working
Sometimes you find the number, you enter it, and... nothing. No "TSA PRE" on your boarding pass.
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This is incredibly frustrating.
The most common reason? A name mismatch. If your TSA profile says "Jonathan Q. Traveler" but your airline ticket says "Jon Traveler," the systems won't shake hands. They are strict. If your middle name is on your PreCheck account, it must be on your airline reservation.
Also, check the expiration date. PreCheck lasts for five years. If you’re at the five-and-a-half-year mark, your number hasn't disappeared; it has just been deactivated. You can usually renew online without another in-person interview, which is a massive win for your schedule.
Practical Steps to Take Right Now
Don't just find the number and close this tab. You’ll be back here in six months if you do.
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- Save it as a contact. Create a contact in your phone named "TSA PreCheck" and put the KTN in the "Company" or "Notes" field.
- Update your frequent flyer profiles. Don't wait until you're booking a flight. Log into United, Delta, American, or whatever airline you use and save the KTN in your "Personal Info" section. It will auto-populate for every future flight.
- Take a photo of your Global Entry card. If you have one, keep a photo in a "Hidden" or "Favorites" album on your phone.
- Check your "Success" email. Search your inbox for "uep.enrollment.notification@tsa.dhs.gov". This is the address that usually sends out the approval notices containing the number.
If you are currently at the airport and just realized your boarding pass is missing the PreCheck logo, you can still fix it. Go to the check-in counter. As long as you have the number, the agent can manually add it to your reservation and re-print your pass. You don't have to accept defeat and go to the "shoes-off" line just because of a typo.
Knowing exactly how to find my TSA PreCheck number is basically a modern travel survival skill. Once you have it, guard it. It’s the only thing standing between you and a much less stressful morning at the gate.