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To Avoid Long Airport Lines, Queue Up At Your Local TSA 'Precheck' Office

(CBS) -- With the long lines at airports dominating the news, there is now a rush to sign up for the federal service that can move you more quickly through the crowds.

But as CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports, you may need some patience to sign up for TSA "Precheck."

There was a constant flow of traffic Monday at the TSA's Precheck office in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. More than half said they were walk-ins. One woman said reports of logjams at O'Hare spurred her to come in, ahead of a trip later this spring.

Mid-June is the earliest appointment if you book online, because of the rush to sign up for TSA Precheck, by those who either saw or experienced the horrors of long lines at Midway and O'Hare.

Signing up means you could avoid the long lines. For $85, you get your fingerprints taken – and a TSA number that gets you a coveted checkmark on your boarding pass. You then get to move more quickly through airports to catch your flight.

But to get the precious pass, be prepared to wait.

TSA Precheck means not only do you avoid those long lines, but you can also keep your shoes and jacket on and leave three-ounce liquids and laptops in your bag.

The $85 fee covers a five-year subscription.

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