"TSA PreCheck will likely help you, even now with the long lines we're seeing at checkpoints," said one travel expert.

Before I discovered this not-so-secret airport hack, though, I was one of those travelers who didn’t feel like dealing with the hassle of applying for the program. But that’s simply because I hadn’t done my research.

ABILENE, Texas — TSA PreCheck and Global Entry travelers across the country faced uncertainty after an announcement that the programs could be shut down because of a lapse in funding, before the Transportation Security Administration reversed course and ...