TSA Weighs Letting PreCheck Travelers Carry Water Bottles Through Some Checkpoints
The Transportation Security Administration is weighing a limited easing of its liquid restrictions, with senior administration officials saying Wednesday that TSA PreCheck passengers could soon be allowed to bring water bottles through certain airport checkpoints.
The change would begin at airports equipped with newer CT screening technology and automated detection tools capable of telling water apart from other liquids and flagging potential threats, officials told CBS News. They did not identify which airports would participate.
The plan stops well short of ending all liquid limits. TSA is not yet prepared to scrap restrictions on every liquid, and the long-standing 3-1-1 rule remains in force: carry-on liquids generally must be in containers of 3.4 ounces or less.
The limits reflect both security concerns and practical constraints. Although technology exists to scan full bottles, TSA has not acquired it on the scale needed for a nationwide rollout, even one limited to PreCheck members. The agency also lacks funding for such an expansion, officials said.
The possible shift comes days after TSA launched Gateside by TSA, a program that lets approved PreCheck members without airline tickets pass through security and enter gate areas at 13 airports. The agency expects to expand the program after assessing passenger volumes and its operational effects.
PreCheck is a U.S. government program that allows travelers to bypass standard security lines and use an expedited screening process. Membership costs $85 or less for five years, depending on the authorized enrollment provider. Applicants must pass a security check before approval, and TSA says the shorter screening normally takes about 10 minutes.
If the water-bottle trial moves forward, it could offer a modest but visible convenience for frequent fliers and test how quickly TSA can fold advanced screening equipment into daily operations. For now, however, the familiar rules at most checkpoints are not changing.