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Travel question with Mac

donawalt

donawalt

Contributor
Original poster
Sep 10, 2015
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Believe it or not I am going on my first flight since the pandemic! I am taking my MacBook Pro, plus I have a sleeve I keep it in, in my carry-on bag. I love the sleeve, but it probably takes 20-30 seconds total to get it in and out as it's snug; but doing this in a security check line, holding other things, with weary travelers behind me, sounds like a situation to be avoided!

I am also TSA-Pre.

Anyway - I am pretty sure laptops do not need to be removed from travel bags if the traveler is TSA-Pre, so I can leave the laptop in its sleeve in my carry-on bag without worry. I just wanted to verify this with travelers on here before my trip, thanks!
 
I don’t know what TSA-pre is, but everytime when I fly in Europe I need to take all electronics out and open the MacBook.

When I flew to miami via Philadelphia I also needed to take all electronics at every security check, but American airport security is ridiculous and a bunch of non-organized people that don’t have a clue what they are doing.
You even need to take off your shoes there 🥲😂
 
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Novius89 said:
I don’t know what TSA-pre is, but everytime when I fly in Europe I need to take all electronics out and open the MacBook.

When I flew to miami via Philadelphia I also needed to take all electronics at every security check, but American airport security is ridiculous and a bunch of non-organized people that don’t have a clue what they are doing.
You even need to take off your shoes there 🥲😂
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You should check out TSAPre, it's a government program for expedited traveling/ pass thru security. You basically are being pre-identified and submit to a background check to get approved. Once approved a lot of stuff is easier, including not having to remove laptops from luggage.
 
You are correct if you have TSA-Pre - the laptops can stay in your bag, shoes can stay on. So much easier. Typically in most airports the TSA-Pre line is shorter too (BWI in Baltimore seems to be an exception to that, haven't flown Regan or Dulles but I suspect they may be like BWI. Too many people in this area with TSA-Pre).
 
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Haha @white_horse I am flying out of BWI! small world! Yeah the TSA-Pre lines aren't necessarily that short, but they move fast. I don't mind waiting if I don't have to "strip naked to get thru security" as I tell my wife 🤣🤣
 
For me it seems to depend from flight to flight, airport to airport, based on how well staffed the security check is that day. I have a pretty simple Swiss Army laptop bag I travel with and you might want to consider something like that over a sleeve if you think it’s going to be a pain.

I know how you feel — the TSA lines stress me out every time.
 
white_horse said:
You are correct if you have TSA-Pre - the laptops can stay in your bag, shoes can stay on. So much easier. Typically in most airports the TSA-Pre line is shorter too (BWI in Baltimore seems to be an exception to that, haven't flown Regan or Dulles but I suspect they may be like BWI. Too many people in this area with TSA-Pre).
Click to expand...
I dont have TSA precheck, but Dulles can be hit or miss - I flew down to Orlando earlier this month for a business meeting, and going through Security was a breeze for the most part - no need to take my laptop or Kindle out of my bag. I had to stand for a pat down because I have metal implants in my leg (had I mentioned it before going in the metal detector they would have sent me to the full body scanner). Flying out from Orlando, I had to take wverything out the bag, but didnt need a pat down since it seems everyone goes through the full body scanner.
 
I don't even have TSA pre-check and I haven't been asked to take my Mac out of its sleeve in awhile while going through security. If I had to though, it wouldn't take me up to 30 seconds. I think you might want to pick up a better fitting sleeve.
 
donawalt said:
You should check out TSAPre, it's a government program for expedited traveling/ pass thru security. You basically are being pre-identified and submit to a background check to get approved. Once approved a lot of stuff is easier, including not having to remove laptops from luggage.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, you can still randomly have to go through regular lines, which isn't fun if you've got in the shorter TSA line then found out you didn't qualify. Happened last spring.
 
donawalt said:
Believe it or not I am going on my first flight since the pandemic! I am taking my MacBook Pro, plus I have a sleeve I keep it in, in my carry-on bag. I love the sleeve, but it probably takes 20-30 seconds total to get it in and out as it's snug; but doing this in a security check line, holding other things, with weary travelers behind me, sounds like a situation to be avoided!

I am also TSA-Pre.

Anyway - I am pretty sure laptops do not need to be removed from travel bags if the traveler is TSA-Pre, so I can leave the laptop in its sleeve in my carry-on bag without worry. I just wanted to verify this with travelers on here before my trip, thanks!
Click to expand...

It’s been years since I’ve had to take my laptop out of its sleeve, regardless of the line. Yes it’s easier in TSA, but I will caution you sometimes TSA is closed. Bottom line, don’t worry about the sleeve but don’t consider TSA a given

Edit I fly in both Europe and the US.
 
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My experience as a European is that it differs vastly from airport to airport, even in the same country, which meant that I always take every electronic device out anyway. I can't be bothered checking which rules this or that airport enforce, I just do the whole routine.

I hate flying... it's the only time in my life I feel treated like cattle at best, or a potential terrorist at worst (or maybe it's the other way around?). So I just want to be as low key, friction free as humanly possible. :)
 
TSA pre-check here as well. Never took my devices out of my backpack. I usually tried to take just one laptop with my phone. I had a coworker who would take 2 laptops (personal/work) and a tablet and they almost always got stopped for the "random" search. TSA told him that all those devices in the same bag "looks suspicious" so it usually triggers a scan. <shrug>.

There are some airports where they are so small they put the TSA pre-check in the same line as the normal security line - they give you a sheet of paper that says TSA PRE-CHECK to put on top of your carry-on (leave laptop in).

But anyway, back to OP's question. For 100% of my work flights never took out my laptop. TSA pre-check worth every penny.
 
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As a few-times-a-year traveler, sometimes TSA pre check sometimes not, and flying in/out of a variety of airports small to large, I can say… the rules of what you’ll need to do are opaque and inconsistent. Sometimes the laptop comes out & the shoes come off, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes liquid soap has to be presented separately in a clear bag, sometimes it doesn’t. Just be prepared for whatever; they’ll tell you at the airport.
 
Novius89 said:
in Europe I need to take all electronics out and open the MacBook.
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Open the computer? Why is that? Do they think you've hollowed it out and using it to transport contraband materials?!?! Is that on domestic as well? I'd imagine that would really slow everything down if that were the case!
 
OP here - my trip went fine, everything stayed in my travel bag with no issues, both on outward- and inward-bound flights! Thanks all for the advice!!
 
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smoking monkey said:
Open the computer? Why is that? Do they think you've hollowed it out and using it to transport contraband materials?!?! Is that on domestic as well? I'd imagine that would really slow everything down if that were the case!
Click to expand...
To show this is a computer indeed, not a gutted shell stuffed with explosives.
Theater of security since 9/11.
 
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Marsikus said:
To show this is a computer indeed, not a gutted shell stuffed with explosives.
Theater of security since 9/11.
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In all of my years traveling, I have never had to turn on my laptop. Not a once.

On TSA Pre… cut to the chase and get Global Entry if possible… a little more work, but it includes TSA Pre and if traveling internationally, TSA Pre does you no good on the return to the US.
 
I didn't catch your destination. I have Global Entry with TSA Pre and still had the joy of unpacking my carryon twice at the Dublin Airport recently. They do US customs for all travelers heading stateside after their own customs. Out the electronics came...twice. I had only taken carryon so it was packed with no room to spare. What a zoo that was.
 
wingennis said:
I didn't catch your destination. I have Global Entry with TSA Pre and still had the joy of unpacking my carryon twice at the Dublin Airport recently. They do US customs for all travelers heading stateside after their own customs. Out the electronics came...twice. I had only taken carryon so it was packed with no room to spare. What a zoo that was.
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I travel internationally often, regardless of the airport you need to have the right bag for those situations. I learned years ago to not be “that guy” holding up the line to unpack their goods. Also, I learned to use a single quart sized clear bag for my toiletries. So many rookies make that mistake and it gets old… saw a lady last week at LHR that tried to use three of the provided clear bags For her crap… held everybody up arguing with the agent
 
iGeneo said:
I travel internationally often, regardless of the airport you need to have the right bag for those situations. I learned years ago to not be “that guy” holding up the line to unpack their goods. Also, I learned to use a single quart sized clear bag for my toiletries. So many rookies make that mistake and it gets old… saw a lady last week at LHR that tried to use three of the provided clear bags For her crap… held everybody up arguing with the agent
Click to expand...
I have now also learned to not be that guy.
 
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iGeneo said:
In all of my years traveling, I have never had to turn on my laptop. Not a once.

On TSA Pre… cut to the chase and get Global Entry if possible… a little more work, but it includes TSA Pre and if traveling internationally, TSA Pre does you no good on the return to the US.
Click to expand...
Thanks God I don't need to fly to USA. I have read enough about your TSA :D
 
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