Austin airport to consolidate PreCheck, CLEAR to one TSA checkpoint. Here’s why

Austin’s airport on Wednesday will consolidate two of its fast-track security screening options to one checkpoint until construction to expand part of Barbara Jordan Terminal is completed in 2026, officials announced this week.

Since February, passengers flying through Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have been screened through three of four Transportation Security Administration checkpoints. Each checkpoint is designated for specific screening services, including TSA Precheck and CLEAR, a biometric identity verification system that expedites the security screening process.

As of Wednesday, passengers using TSA PreCheck and CLEAR will be directed to Checkpoint 2 West.

The largest is Checkpoint 1 with eight lanes. Checkpoints 2 West and 2 East have seven and four lanes, respectively. Checkpoint 3, the smallest of the four checkpoints, was closed earlier this year for construction. Once completed, the expanded Checkpoint 3 will offer TSA PreCheck.

Here’s a breakdown of the services offered at each checkpoint as of Wednesday:

Checkpoint 1:

• General screening

• Known Crew Member screening

• Priority/Premium screening

• Americans with Disabilities Act screening

Checkpoint 2 East:

Checkpoint 2 West:

Checkpoint 3:

Checkpoint 3 closed in February for construction to add 75,000 square feet of space, additional screening lanes and housing for a new outbound baggage handling system. The expanded Checkpoint 3 will open in 2026 with six to eight new lanes.

The checkpoint expansion is part of what airport officials call the West Infill project. The project, expected to cost $241.5 million, aims to renovate the western parts of Barbara Jordan Terminal and parts of the existing concourse. The space expansion includes the baggage claim, apron, mezzanine and roof levels.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: airport Austin consolidates PreCheck, CLEAR to one TSA checkpoint