Known Traveler Number: Your Key to Faster Airport Security

When you book a flight, keeping track of confirmation numbers, passport information, and airline login details is routine. But if you hold TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership, there’s one more piece of information that deserves equal prominence: your Known Traveler Number.

This nine-digit code from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is what signals to the TSA that you’re cleared to use expedited security screening lanes at U.S. airports. Without it attached to your reservation, your boarding pass won’t carry the “TSA PreCheck” designation, and you’ll miss out on the faster lines you’ve paid for.

Here’s everything you need to know about obtaining a KTN, locating it, and ensuring it’s linked to your bookings.

What is a Known Traveler Number?

A Known Traveler Number, or KTN, is a nine-digit identifier issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to members of federal Trusted Traveler Programs. Like a frequent flyer number or flight confirmation code, it follows an alphanumeric format, though it serves an entirely different purpose.

The KTN proves that you’ve completed an application and screening process run by DHS, and that you’re a recognized, vetted traveler eligible for expedited airport services. It acts as proof to both the airline and the TSA that you qualify to use TSA PreCheck screening lanes.

How a KTN Differs from Other Travel Documents

The KTN isn’t issued by an airline or travel company. It comes from the federal government and belongs to you across all airlines and all bookings. While a frequent flyer number ties your status to a single airline’s program, a KTN is universal. It works at any U.S. airport with participating TSA PreCheck lanes and transfers seamlessly between airlines.

Who Gets a KTN

Not every traveler has a KTN. You receive one only when you’re approved for membership in one of the Trusted Traveler Programs administered by DHS. These programs include TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Nexus, and SENTRI.

Which Programs Provide a KTN?

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The DHS operates several Trusted Traveler Programs, each with its own focus but each issuing a KTN to approved members.

TSA PreCheck

TSA PreCheck is the most common program. Members go through an application and interview process, typically in person at enrollment centers located at many U.S. airports. Once approved, you receive a KTN that grants access to dedicated TSA PreCheck security lanes, which typically feature shorter wait times. Your membership lasts five years before renewal is required.

Global Entry and Other Programs

Global Entry is the comprehensive option for frequent international travelers. Beyond the TSA PreCheck benefits, it includes expedited processing through U.S. passport control upon returning from international flights. According to The Points Guy, if you plan to travel internationally multiple times within the next five years, Global Entry offers the strongest return on investment because it bundles the TSA PreCheck access with international re-entry benefits. Like TSA PreCheck, Global Entry membership is valid for five years.

The DHS also administers Nexus, which streamlines travel between the U.S. and Canada, and SENTRI, which accelerates travel through the southern U.S. border. All these programs issue a KTN upon approval.

Getting Your Known Traveler Number

Obtaining a KTN requires enrollment in one of the Trusted Traveler Programs. The process is standardized across all programs.

Application and Interview

To get a KTN, you’ll submit an application through the DHS enrollment system and attend an in-person interview at one of the agency’s enrollment centers. Many of these centers operate at airports for convenience, though some are located at other secure facilities. The interview validates your identity, citizenship, and background.

Timeline and Cost

Once you complete your interview and receive approval, the DHS assigns your KTN immediately. Your membership is active for five years, after which you’ll need to renew by paying the application fee again. Several credit cards reimburse this renewal fee as a cardholder benefit, effectively making the program free for eligible members.

According to The Points Guy, this credit card reimbursement is a key consideration when comparing the cost of TSA PreCheck versus Global Entry membership.

How to Use Your KTN on Flight Bookings

Having a KTN is only half the equation. You must attach it to your airline profile or individual reservation to ensure “TSA PreCheck” appears on your boarding pass.

Adding Your KTN During Booking

When you book a flight online, most airlines provide a specific field for your Known Traveler Number, sometimes labeled as “KTN,” “Secure Traveler Information,” or simply “Known Traveler Number.” Enter your nine-digit code during the final checkout step, and it will be included in your booking.

Attaching It to Your Frequent Flyer Account

The easier approach is to add your KTN to your frequent flyer account with each airline you regularly fly. Once it’s in your profile, it will be automatically applied to every future booking you make with that airline. You won’t need to re-enter it for each reservation.

Updating an Existing Reservation

If you’ve already booked a flight but forgot to add your KTN, you can still fix it. Log into the airline’s website or app, retrieve your reservation using your confirmation number, navigate to the traveler information section, and add your KTN there. If you’ve already checked in and downloaded your mobile boarding pass, you may need to re-download it to see the “TSA PreCheck” designation appear.

Finding Your Known Traveler Number

If you don’t have your KTN readily available, several methods can help you locate it quickly.

Check Your Trusted Traveler Program Account

Visit the DHS enrollment website and log in using the personal information you provided when applying for your Trusted Traveler Program. Your KTN will appear in your account details.

Look at Your Physical Card

If you hold a Global Entry card, turn it over. Your nine-digit “PASSID” printed on the back is your KTN. This is often the quickest way to find it.

Check Your Frequent Flyer Account

If you’ve used TSA PreCheck screening before, odds are your KTN is already on file with the airline you fly most frequently. Log into that airline’s frequent flyer portal and look for the Trusted Traveler information section. Once you locate it there, you can copy it and add it to your profile with another airline.

Making TSA PreCheck Appear on Your Boarding Pass

A final step that many travelers overlook is ensuring the TSA PreCheck designation actually prints on your boarding pass.

If you’ve added your KTN but “TSA PreCheck” still doesn’t appear, take these steps. First, re-download your mobile boarding pass if you’ve already checked in; the update may not be reflected in a previously downloaded version. If it still doesn’t appear, visit an airport kiosk and request a printed boarding pass. Sometimes the desktop version processes the KTN information faster than the mobile interface.

Adding your KTN to your airline profile takes minutes but pays dividends across dozens of future trips. Without it linked to your bookings, you won’t receive the “TSA PreCheck” designation on your boarding pass, and you’ll miss the expedited security screening you’ve enrolled to access.

Source: The Points Guy Articles