TSA to relocate Sea-Tac PreCheck lane

The Transportation Security Administration's fast-pass PreCheck security lane in Seattle will be moved from Checkpoint No. 5 in the north end of the Sea-Tac Airport terminal to Checkpoint No. 3 (Central checkpoint) on Oct. 21, according to TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers. 

Checkpoint No. 5 is used mainly by passengers of Alaska Airlines, the first carrier to be approved for PreCheck in Seattle. TSA has since expanded the program to include eligible fliers on American, Delta, United and US AIrways. Checkpoint No. 5 is more central. 

Those eligible to participate in PreCheck — for now, those considered low security risks either because they are high-mileage frequent fliers invited by those airlines to apply for PreCheck or members of the Global Entry, Sentri or Nexus (U.S./Canadian/Mexican border-crossing programs) — can use the special lane to pass through security without removing jackets and shoes, or taking liquids and laptops out of carry-ons. They also walk through metal detectors instead of full-body scanners.

Relocation of the PreCheck lane comes as Sea-Tac plans changes to its terminal and gate areas as it prepares to turn over the north satellite "N" gate area to Alaska Airlines.