My husband and I are older parents of a teen girl with autism. We love to travel as a family, creating trips that are both sensory-friendly and fun for our daughter G. Our posts are relevant to all families traveling with children, but we include a little bit more information to help parents anticipate and manage sensory challenges faced by neurodiverse kids.
We often hear from other families like ours that they would love to travel but can’t, because they just don’t know if their child can handle an airplane trip.
The process of getting a family with kids to the airport, through security, and onto a plane can be overwhelming to anybody. If you have a child with autism, ADHD, or anxiety, having the right reservations can make the difference between a smooth journey and an airport disaster.
Our last newsletter detailed various ways that you can show your neurodiverse child what to expect at the airport and on a flight, including some easy hacks to practice some of the more challenging components of air travel.
In this issue, we talk about steps that parents can take well in advance of the travel day to increase the odds of a successful plane flight.
Table of Contents
Is TSA Precheck Worth It?
If you’re a US Citizen or Permanent Resident, the simple answer to this question is YES. The TSA PreCheck line is easy and quick. You simply put your bag on the trolley, load your backpacks, purses, keys and noise cancelling headphones into the bins, and walk through. Most of the people in this lane are experienced travelers who know what to do, so it moves quickly and easily.
In the other line, infrequent travelers are asking lots of questions, removing belts, shoes and sweatshirts, taking laptops out of cases and then putting it all back together on the other end of the security line. Your neurodiverse child doesn’t need this delay and the chaos that comes with it.
TSA PreCheck is easy to get - you fill out a form on line, and schedule an appointment to be interviewed and fingerprinted. Appointments last about 10 minutes, and are available at most AAA offices, many Staples and Office Max stores, and at TSA offices in most major airports. Use this link to start the application process.
Most people get their Known Traveler Number by email within 5 business days of their interview, but if there are complications with the background check, it may take up to 60 days for final approval. There is no physical TSA Pre-Check card that you will carry with you.
You need to enter your Known Traveler Number into your plane reservation before you travel so that it can be printed on your boarding pass. If your boarding pass doesn’t have precheck printed on it, the TSA officer will send you back to the ticket gate to get an updated pass. Plan accordingly.
Children 17 years old and younger can travel under their parents’ PreCheck, provided that all of the tickets are on the same reservation number so that the precheck will show on all boarding passes.
TSA PreCheck is valid for five years, and costs $75. Many credit cards offer statement credits to reimburse the cost of TSA PreCheck, so you may get it for free. Check the benefits from whichever credit cards you use to see if you qualify.
Start your application either three months before you travel, or when you book your flight, whichever is earlier. If you book your tickets before you get your known traveler number, you can easily add it to your reservation later through your airline’s website.
Do I Need Global Entry?
Global Entry is a separate program run by Homeland Security that gives expedited entry to the US when returning from another country by land, sea, or plane. If you get Global Entry, you don’t need to apply for TSA PreCheck, because you will be given your Known Traveler Number when you’re approved for Global Entry.
Global Entry comes with a physical card that can be used as Real ID to board domestic flights within the US.
The process for getting Global Entry is a little more complicated than TSA PreCheck. The interviews are conducted by Customs and Border Personnel at airport locations or federal office buildings. The background check usually takes about 2 weeks but can go up to six months if there are any complications.
You will receive your known traveler number immediately upon approval, and a physical card with your photo should come by mail in 2-4 weeks. This card can be used as a Real ID when you fly.
The $120 fee is covered by the same credit cards that reimburse TSA PreCheck. To start your Global Entry Application, click here.
Start your application either six months before you travel, or when you book your flight, whichever is earlier.
Who should get Global Entry instead of TSA Pre-Check?
-US citizens and permanent residents who travel internationally and want quick entry when returning to the US.
-H1-B and other immigrant visa holders who aren’t eligible for TSA PreCheck. Once you’re approved, you will have a Known Traveler Number that gives you TSA PreCheck privileges. Find out more about international eligibility here.
-Anyone over the age of 18 who doesn’t have a Real ID driver’s license. This is a great option for special needs teens whose disability disqualifies them from getting a drivers license.
-Kids under 18 years old can travel under your Global Entry Known Traveler Number as long as it’s entered on your plane ticket. If you’re traveling internationally, the child will need his or her own Global Entry ID to use the priority line at US Border Control.
How to Pick the Best Flight
If possible, get a direct flight to minimize the number of transitions.
When you can’t get a direct flight from your home airport, check to see if there is a direct flight using a different airport within 100 miles of either your home or your destination. For our family, it’s less stressful to spend an extra hour or two in the car than to change planes.
If possible, fly to or from smaller, regional airports. They are usually much easier (and less expensive) to park at, easier to get to and from the gate, with less chaos at security, and often have rental car counters right at the baggage claim.
If you’re concerned about whether your family can get to a morning flight on time, look into the park and fly service at an airport hotel at www.parksleepfly.com.
We like to use Google Flights to find the best routes and airfares. Google gives you the chance to input multiple arrival and departure airports, number of stops, whether you will check bags. The results can be sorted by the best price or the shortest travel time, and will tell you if the price you’re seeing is high, low, or typical for that route. Once you choose your flight, Google will send you directly to the airline’s website to complete your purchase.
If your plans are flexible - either your dates or destination - try Google Flight Deals. You can tell this AI powered tool what you want in words, and it will show you options that are priced much lower than usual.
Choosing Your Seats
The seats towards the front have the smoothest ride and the shortest wait to get off the plane. The seats immediately behind the wings have the loudest engine noise. Window seats are more interesting to look out, aisle is better for people who get claustrophobic.
If you’re buying a Basic Economy fare, it usually doesn’t include any checked bags or seat reservations. It’s very likely that the airline will randomly assign your family to middle seats scattered all over the plane - a disaster waiting to happen for families like ours!
Under the Federal Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), airlines are required by law to provide adjacent seating to disabled people who require direct assistance from a caregiver. Technically, you can ask for this accommodation when you arrive at the airport, but to minimize confusion and stress, take care of it in advance.
When you book your child’s ticket, look for the special assistance prompt and check the box that indicates that he/she is traveling with a special care assistant or caregiver.
You can also call the airline’s customer service number, and ask for their special assistance desk. Explain your situation, and let them know that you need to get adjacent seats according to the ACAA. Once approved, ask them to email you with the confirmation.
Be aware that the ACAA only requires the airline to put two people together. The rest of your family will need to either pay for assigned seats or take their chances. Your two assigned seats can be anywhere on the plane and may not be near the rest of your family group. If it’s important for your whole family to sit together, you will need to pay for seat assignments for everyone.
Register with TSA Cares
Putting your feet on the exact right spot while raising your arms can be difficult instructions to process in a high pressure situation. We always ask our TSA Cares agent to let us go through the x-ray machine instead of the imaging scanner.
TSA Cares is a free program that provides extra help and reasonable accommodations during airport security screening. It is available to all travelers of all nationalities, in both the PreCheck and regular security lines.
Specially trained officers will bring your entire family through the screening process, allowing extra time when needed, explaining each step clearly, and offering special (and speedy) handling of comfort items like stuffed animals, weighted blankets or noise-cancelling headphones.
The actual screening is still the same, but it’s conducted in a more sensory appropriate way. Often, but not always, your family may be taken to a different, shorter line with fewer people.
Sign up online at the TSA Cares website at least a week before your flight. If your flight is within 72 hours, call the TSA hotline at (855) 787-2227 to request help.
When you arrive at the security line entrance, let the first officer checking IDs know that you requested TSA Cares assistance. A passenger support specialist will come and guide your family through security.
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The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard is a simple, discrete accessory that allows people to voluntarily share that they may need extra support, assistance, or a bit more time.
It’s commonly used in the UK and Europe, and starting to catch on here in the US.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is universally recognized in the airline industry.
