The Transportation Security Administration announced record-setting screening numbers during spring break. March 14–April 28, TSA agents screened more than 108 million passengers and 63 million bags. That’s about a 4.7 percent increase from the same period last year.

ID 122163315 © David Tran | Dreamstime.com

Despite the record-setting numbers, 97.2 percent of all passengers waited less than 20 minutes at the security checkpoint. For passengers with TSA PreCheck, 92.4 percent waited less than 5 minutes.

The announcement of these numbers coincides with me obtaining my TSA PreCheck number. The timing is perfect for my upcoming trip to New York.

The TSA PreCheck application process is simple. After entering basic identification information on the TSA website, you make an appointment at a TSA office. At the appointment, a TSA agent asks a few questions, takes your picture and gets your fingerprints, a digital process no longer requiring messy inks. A week later, I received notification I was approved, and another week later, I received my TSA Known Traveler Number.

The cost is $85 for five years of eligibility. That’s $17 per year. Even if I have one round-trip flight a year, that’s a small price to pay to expedite and simplify the security screening process. There is also a Global Entry option for international travelers entering the country for $100.

In situations beyond my control, especially stressful ones, I try to eliminate as many variables as possible. With air travel numbers on the rise, my TSA PreCheck won’t eliminate security screenings, but it will make it a lot easier.

— John Wroblewski, online writer