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Say goodbye to long lines and big crowds because the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is getting a dedicated Delta TSA PreCheck bag drop and express lobby this November.
Delta’s first-ever bag drop lobby is located at the ATL Domestic South Terminal near the rideshare drop-off area, and flyers who have a Delta app and TSA PreCheck membership can use it for a touch-free and faster security check experience.
Delta continues to upgrade the facilities of its Atlanta hub, its largest and busiest out of all its nine hubs. Just a few months ago, the airline also partnered with TSA PreCheck to install facial recognition scanners on its check-in kiosks.
We want to give our customers more time to enjoy travel by unlocking simplified, seamless, and efficient experiences from end to end,” said Byron Merritt, Delta’s Vice President of Brand Experience Design. “Delta has been a leader in testing and implementing facial recognition technology since 2018 as part of our vision for building airports that are effortless. The launch of Atlanta’s express lobby and bag drop is the latest step in our commitment to listening and innovating for our customers.”
Here’s a walkthrough of what travelers will experience whenever they fly through the Atlanta airport.
1. Check-in And Bag Drop
Delta is the first and only airline to have a dedicated bag drop lobby for TSA PreCheck members. This state-of-the-art facility features self-service kiosks with hands-free facial scanners that will provide travelers with a faster and safer check-in and bag drop experience.
You should link your TSA PreCheck number to your Skymiles profile to create your digital identity so that you can to use the kiosks’ facial recognition feature.
Here’s how it works:
- Check-in using the Fly Delta App on your mobile phone (You should’ve created a digital identity by this time)
- Verify your identity by performing a hands-free facial scan
- Print the bag tag from the kiosk and attach it to your luggage
- Drop your bag on the conveyer
Delta’s bag drop lobby gives travelers a dedicated space to check in so they can avoid long lines at the main airport. It cuts down the entire check-in and bag drop process at an average of two minutes, and even more during peak times.
As of the moment, only Atlanta flyers this dedicated bag drop lobby, but Delta has announced that it will also construct a dedicated Delta TSA PreCheck lobby at the Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) later this fall.
Read More: How To Get Global Entry For Free
2. Domestic Security Checkpoint
After you’re done dropping your bag, just proceed to the security checkpoint and enter any TSA PreCheck dedicated lane. If you’ve opted in for facial recognition verification, just look at the camera and it will quickly verify your information without the need for physical IDs or boarding passes.
Additionally, the Atlanta airport has tomography-automated screening lanes that allow travelers to keep their electronics and approved liquids when they pass through scanners – making the entire security check process a lot faster.
Read More: Delta Is Improving Its Food and IFE
3. Delta Facial Recognition Boarding
There’s no need for physical boarding passes with Delta’s facial recognition boarding. All you need to do is to look at the camera for a quick facial scan and the gate assistants will allow you entry once they’ve verified you’re identity.
The facial recognition feature will be available at Atlanta’s T1-T8 domestic boarding gates and at Detroit’s A10 and A12 gates.
Delta’s Managing Director – Airport Experience Greg Forbes said “This element of the customer journey is possible thanks to our strong partnerships with TSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and airport leadership, which were built over years of testing and perfecting facial recognition options for international customers.”
Credit Cards With Free Global Entry And TSA PreCheck Membership
The TSA-PreCheck cost is $85 and it’s valid for 5 years but you can get it for free since some travel credit cards provide application free credits for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership.
Just remember that Global Entry members will also get all the TSA PreCheck benefits. Here are some cards that you check if you want to get a free TSA PreChek membership:
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Delta Platinum Credit Card from American Express Card
- Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express Card
- IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
- United Club (SM) Infinite Card
- United Explorer Card
- United Quest Credit Card
Bottomline
Apart from providing its customers a seamless and streamlined airport experience, Delta is doing its part to help lessen airport touchpoints, especially now that the US has lifted the ban for vaccinated foreigners.
Overall, Delta Airlines is working on improving its services whether it’s on land or on air since other major airlines have already made moves to encourage flyers to return to the skies.
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