Temporary locations include hotels near JFK and Newark Airports and at Penn Station

Demand for travelers interested in applying to the Transportation Security Administration’s  TSA Pre✓^® program has been so strong that three temporary application centers will be stood up in the area this July in addition to the several permanent application centers already in the region.

An application center will be open for three weeks in Manhattan at Penn Station in the United Airlines ticket office from July 11 to 29. A second application center will be available for one week from July 12 to 16 inside the Hilton Hotel-JFK Airport at 144-02 135th Ave., Jamaica, NY 11436. And a third application center also will be available for the week of July 12 to 16 at the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott Hotel, adjacent to the airport, located at 1 Hotel Road, Newark, NJ 07114.

It is predicted to be one of the busiest air travel summers the airline industry has seen in a very long time and with more people flying, airports and TSA checkpoints will be more crowded than in previous years. Travelers who are enrolled in TSA Pre✓^® or one of the other “trusted traveler” programs such as Global Entry, SENTRI or NEXUS are permitted to keep on their shoes, belts and light outerwear jacket and can leave their laptops and liquid 3-1-1 bags inside their carry-on bags when they go through the checkpoint.

The TSA Pre✓^® lanes at LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport are available during peak throughput periods in terminals that have a TSA Pre✓^®  lane. The remainder of the day, TSA Pre✓^® enrollees may receive the benefit of expedited screening; being permitted to leave on their shoes, belts, and light outer jackets through the checkpoint.

Travelers can make an appointment at one of the conveniently located temporary sites online, and then complete their application in-person at the TSA Pre✓^® application center that they select. There are about a dozen application centers in the region in addition to the three temporary centers. In New York there are application centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, White Plains, Hicksville, and Kings Park, and in New Jersey there are enrollment centers in Newark, Cranford and Edison. Additionally, there are application centers inside a terminal at LaGuardia and JFK Airports. A list of application center addresses and hours can be found on the Universal Enroll website.

This application process allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to apply directly to TSA Pre✓^® – an expedited screening program that allows travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on, in select TSA airport checkpoint screening lanes. About 160 airports are participating in TSA Pre✓^® nationwide and so far 16 airlines participate in the program including Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, Cape Air,  Delta Air Lines, Etihad Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Seaborne Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country, United Airlines, Virgin America and WestJet.

The application fee is $85 and is good for five years. It can be paid at the time of your appointment by credit card, money order, company check, or certified/cashier’s check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Fingerprints also are required during the in-person application session.

Visit the Universal Enroll website to see a complete list of required documents. Applicants will need to bring documentation proving identity and citizenship status.

After completing the application process, successful applicants will receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) via U.S. mail within a few days that is valid for five years. The enrollee should enter the provided KTN in the “Known Traveler Number” field when booking airline reservations.  The KTN also can be added when booking reservations online via a participating airline website, via phone call to the airline reservation center, or with the travel management company making reservations.  Additionally, the KTN can be entered in participating airline frequent flyer profiles, where it will be stored for future reservations.