To PreCheck or not to PreCheck

[Ghoulish Delight]

So until now, I had an easy choice. 90% of my travel is with Southwest and Southwest wasn't participating in TSA Precheck, so there was no way it was worth it to me to pay $90 to skip the line the 2 or 3 times in a year I'm forced to fly a different airline.

Now Southwest is participating, which may make it worth paying to have my privacy violated. However, reducing the value of that choice is that as of yesterday I achieved A-list status on Southwest, meaning starting in January I get to go in the first-class line.

PreCheck would have the added benefit of keeping my shoes on and liquids in the bag. But that's a 30 second effort. Doesn't seem worth paying to avoid.

But then, A-list status only lasts as long as I keep flying at high volume. PreCheck is forever. And not limited to Southwest. If I change jobs mid-year and stop flying, I lose the benefit by the end of the year. And I wouldn't be surprised if by then, the price of the PreCheck goes up.

Decisions, decisions.