It's really not. You just provide some info that the government already has along with your fingerprints, they do a quick background check, and you're done. Whe

It's really not. You just provide some info that the government already has along with your fingerprints, they do a quick background check, and you're done. Whether you have PreCheck or not, the government knows what flights you've taken because the airlines have to submit their passenger lists. $85 for 5 years of less hassle at security is worth it for anyone who flies even once every 1-2 years.