Travelers Willing to Pay More for Better Airport Security Experience

Travelers Willing to Pay More for Better Airport Security Experience

Frequent leisure and business travelers are willing to ante up as much as $150 to join a trusted traveler program that would speed their trips through airport security, according to a new study commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA). That matches well with the trusted traveler program that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is currently considering.

USTA’s study found that significant majorities of frequent business and leisure travelers would pay more for such programs. The survey asked more than 1,000 adults how likely they were to enroll in a trusted traveler program that offered expedited, risk-based screening at major U.S. airports for U.S. citizens who pay an annual enrollment fee of between $100 and $150 and undergo a background check.

Forty-five percent of all travelers were very/somewhat likely to enroll, 61 percent of frequent leisure travelers were very/somewhat likely to enroll, and 75 percent of frequent business travelers were very/somewhat likely to enroll.

Another USTA study in December 2010 showed respondents would take two to three more trips per year if the hassle involved in flying could be reduced without compromising security. Those additional trips would add $84.6 billion in travel spending and support 888,000 additional jobs, according to research from the U.S. Travel Association.

That led the USTA to recommend a risk-based trusted traveler program where travelers can opt-in and voluntarily provide background information to qualify for expedited screening, similar to trusted traveler programs operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In recent months, the idea of a trusted traveler program has gained momentum in Congress, and the TSA has publicly stated it is considering concepts for such a program.