Travelling is fun. But one aspect that may not be is airport security. And depending on where you're flying from, security lines can be long.
But don't fear – we're here to help. We've got 6 tips on how to get through airport security lines quicker, from being a NEXUS member, pre-booking time slots, to getting a credit card that offers dedicated security lanes.
You'll be flying through security in no time.
Key Takeaways
- Some ways to reduce your waiting time include getting a NEXUS card and pre-booking a time to go through airport security.
- Certain credit cards offer dedicated airport security lines at a few airports in Canada.
- The best credit cards to bypass security lines are Visa Infinite Privilege cards, which offer priority security at 4 airports in Canada.
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5 ways to get through airport security quicker
Here are 5 tips you can look at to get through airport security faster.
1. Get a NEXUS card
One of the benefits of having a NEXUS card is getting access to a priority screening line at many airports across Canada. And with a few exceptions, most Canadians can get one.
Being a Verified Traveller allows you to do things like leaving electronics and liquids in your bag and leaving your belt on in some airports. This benefit also extends into plenty of airports in the United States as being a NEXUS member also means you're a TSA PreCheck member.
With that said, it can take a long time to get a NEXUS card. Currently, U.S. Homeland Security (which issues NEXUS memberships) is showing a 12-14 month timeline for processing an application (there are even delays in getting current NEXUS cardholders renewed). Plus, there are certain places where interviews with both Canadian and U.S. customs officials take place, and you're required to go to one of these locations.
Here's our fill guide to what having a NEXUS card can do for you.
2. Be a Verified Traveller of some kind
There are other ways to access the special Verified Traveller line as a Canadian.
If you're a military member, you can access the line just by showing your military ID.
For members of the RCMP and other police forces, if you have your badge and photo ID from your organization, you'll be able to use the priority line.
If you're a Canadian air crew member or an airport worker, show your Restricted Area Identification Card to access the line.
3. Travelling with kids
Some airports offer dedicated security lanes for those travelling with children. These are dedicated lines for those travelling with children, although CATSA (the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority) doesn't give a maximum age limit.
And most of the time, these lines are much shorter than the regular security lines, which will help you and your kids get through faster.
If you are travelling with kids, CATSA has a page with tips on travelling with kids and special rules for those travelling with kids that are under 2 years of age.
CATSA also doesn't have a list of airports with these lines, so you'll have to check an airport's page to see if they have one. As one example, here is Toronto-Pearson's page on security screening, which mentions a family/special needs security line.
I've also personally used this line. During my last trip through YYZ, the regular security line was long. Like, really long. But the kids line? No one was there, and we whisked right through security.
4. Book a slot at select airports
A few airports in Canada will allow you to book a slot to go through security.
We'll use Toronto-Pearson as our example for this as it is Canada's largest airport. First, it's not available all the time, just at certain times which vary based on where you're flying to.
You can save your spot at any time before you arrive at the airport. On this YYZ page, you'll find the details on how to reserve your spot. Click on the "Save Your Spot" link to start the process of reserving your spot. You need to indicate your flight time, destination, airline, and choose your flight number.
You can then reserve your spot – they are set in 15 minute intervals.
You'll be given a QR code to scan. All you have to do is head for your assigned checkpoint and head through security.
Here are some other airports in Canada that offer this:
- Vancouver,
- Calgary,
- Montreal, and
- Halifax.
5. Know the rules when it comes to security screening
Once you're actually being screened, make sure you know the rules of what you can and can't bring, as well as what you need to pull out of your carry-on. This will make the process of actually getting screened much quicker.
Here are a few things to do:
- have your boarding card ready,
- take out computers and large electronics and put them in a bin,
- empty out water bottles and if they're too thick to be scanned, open them before setting them in the bin,
- take off any belts and watches, and
- make sure that if you have liquids, each one is less than 100 mL and they're all in a clear plastic bag.
CATSA has a few pages (see here and here) you can take a look at.
Credit cards to breeze through airport security
For certain airports, the right credit card can be your ticket to getting through security quicker. These are deals cut between certain credit cards and the airports themselves.
These airports have a security line for those with affiliated credit cards:
- Vancouver,
- Toronto-Pearson,
- Toronto-Billy Bishop,
- Ottawa, and
- Montreal.
An important point to note about the cards that offer this – the annual fees are very high. This is just one of many benefits these cards offer.
1. American Express Platinum and Reserve cards
For travelling through Toronto-Pearson airport, having an Amex Platinum or Reserve card gets you access to a special security lane.
How it works: you need to show a special QR code for security to scan. To get one, go to this special American Express page on priority security lane access.
Once there, click on the "Log In" button, and sign in to your Amex account. From there, you can request how many QR codes you need. You'll need 1 code per person travelling with you, and you can get 10 at a time. Agree to the terms and conditions, click next, and you'll get your codes. You can print or email these to yourself.
They look like this:
These are 1 time codes. Once you use it, you won't be able to use it again. So for trips where you'll pass through Toronto a couple of times, print a few of them to bring with you.
There are a few more benefits you can get at Pearson airport, on top of the priority security screening.
Here are the credit cards you can use to access these benefits.
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2. Visa Infinite Privilege cards
For the other airports we mentioned in our list above, a Visa Infinite Privilege card will get you access to a dedicated security lane.
The process of using it is very simple – all you have to do is show your credit card.
On top of high annual fees, there is another major downside to these cards. They have very high income requirements of either $150,000 personal or $200,000 household to qualify.
Depending on the airport, you may also get access to a few more benefits like a discount on airport parking.
Here is a listing of Visa Infinite Privilege cards.
Your tips to get through airport security quicker
These are our tips – what are yours?
What have you done to get through airport security quicker? Which of our tips have you used or do you currently use?
Let everyone know in the comments below.
FAQ
What are some tips to get through airport security quicker?
There are a few things you can look into to get through airport security quicker. They include:
- getting a NEXUS card,
- booking a spot in advance, and
- packing properly.
Are there credit cards you can get to bypass airport security lines?
There are credit cards you can get that provide access to a dedicated security lane at select airports in Canada. These include Amex Platinum and Reserve cards as well as Visa Infinite Privilege cards.
Can NEXUS cards help you get through security quicker?
NEXUS cards can help with airport security. At many airports in Canada, you can get access to the Verified Traveller line, a dedicated lane which can also be used for members of the military, airline/airport staff, and police force members.
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