As a part of the ‘Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease’ initiative, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced a major change in 10 airports regarding security checks. As reported by PR Newswire, TSA will be adding a new expedited lane and discounts “to enhance the travel experience for members of the U.S. military community.”
Moreover, families who have lost a loved one in the military or the Gold Star families are now eligible for TSA PreCheck fees waived. As reported by The Daily Mail, “Additionally, TSA will now offer a $25 discount on TSA PreCheck enrollment for spouses of military and uniformed service members.”
Some airports saw these changes being implemented from July 1, 2025. TSA’s Acting Administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, explained how these changes will help the military people and their families. McNeill said, “This Independence Day and beyond, TSA reaffirms its commitment to ease travel for the military community through its TSA PreCheck program by providing it free to Gold Star families, discounting it for military spouses and creating expedited lanes for service members.”
She further added, “By expanding access, easing enrollment, and partnering with our TSA PreCheck enrollment providers and industry partners, we strive to honor those who serve and the families who stand beside them.”
To ensure that everything goes seamlessly, TSA PreCheck is also holding mobile enrollment events near major US military locations, as reported by The Dailymail. The mentioned new lanes will be implemented at 10 American airports in cities including, San Antonio, Texas; Anchorage, Alaska; Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colorado; El Paso, Texas; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; San Diego, California; and Seattle.
This good news has come ahead of July 4 celebrations and the US Border Control has warned holidaymakers against bringing illegal fireworks to the country. The force took to social media platform X to post their warning, saying, “Nearly $100m in legitimate fireworks comes into the U.S. annually. They’re subject to various federal regs for everything from customs duties & consumer product safety standards to hazardous material transport regs. This Independence Day, avoid illegally imported fireworks.”
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It further mentioned, “CBP reminds you to be safe when celebrating with fireworks.” Besides the warning about the fireworks, TSA also recently highlighted the kind of food items that passengers should not be carrying. As a rush is expected during the July 4 holiday, TSA is specifically focusing on its must follow rules to ensure a smooth ride for passengers.
Regarding food items, TSA’s What Can I bring tool mentions, “solid foods like fruit, sandwiches, chips, cookies, and most baked goods are allowed in both carry-on and checked baggage. However, liquid or gel-based items fall under the 3-1-1 rule and are much more restricted” as reported by The Street.
According to TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein, “Food items often trigger alarms in the X-ray machine. Separating them helps streamline screening.” Therefore, people traveling this holiday season should be extra careful about following the TSA rule to have a seamless flying experience.
