Rochester International Airport is hosting a four-day TSA PreCheck enrollment clinic in late September, giving southern Minnesota travelers a local path to enroll without driving to a permanent enrollment center first.
The airport’s official security page lists the event for September 22 through 25, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Online appointments open in August, and walk-ins are welcome once the window starts.
- What changed: RST will host TSA PreCheck enrollment September 22 to 25, 2026.
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day of the four-day clinic.
- Appointments: Online booking opens in August; walk-ins are welcome.
- Payment rule: Pay in person at the appointment, not during online pre-enrollment.
- Next step: Pre-enroll through IDEMIA, hold a slot, and bring identity documents.
What Rochester International Airport confirmed
The RST TSA and security page is the primary source for the clinic calendar. It states that the airport is hosting a TSA PreCheck enrollment event September 22 through 25, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Online appointments become available in August. Walk-ins are welcome, which matters for travelers who cannot lock a slot early but can still reach the terminal during those four days.
RST also tells applicants to begin pre-enrollment online when appointments open. Payment is collected in person at the appointment. There is no fee during the pre-enrollment step.
If a website asks for payment before the visit, RST warns that you may be on an unauthorized registration page. That single sentence is the fraud filter for this clinic.
The same page keeps Global Entry as a separate trusted-traveler path. U.S. Customs at RST offers Global Entry enrollment interviews on Wednesdays at the main terminal, 7600 Helgerson Drive SW, Rochester, MN 55902. That is not the September PreCheck clinic.
How IDEMIA enrollment works for this clinic
TSA PreCheck enrollment for most applicants runs through IDEMIA’s official PreCheck program site. That is where you start the application, manage appointments, and look up a Known Traveler Number after approval.
IDEMIA currently lists new enrollment at 76.75 dollars for five years. Online renewals list at 58.75 dollars and in-person renewals at 66.75 dollars for five years. Confirm the fee on the live IDEMIA page before you pay, because RST itself does not restate a dollar amount on the clinic banner.
Children 17 and under can usually join an adult with PreCheck when the indicator appears on the child’s boarding pass. Adults still need their own membership when they are the traveler who must clear the lane.
You do not need a separate PreCheck enrollment if you already hold Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, or certain other qualifying credentials that already supply a Known Traveler Number. Check your current number before paying for a duplicate five-year card.
After the in-person visit, most applicants receive a Known Traveler Number within a few days. Until that number is coded on the reservation, expect the standard lane even if the appointment is complete.
Who should use the September window at RST
Prioritize the four days if you fly from Rochester, connect through PreCheck airports, and still lack a valid Known Traveler Number. Mayo Clinic trips, Twin Cities connections, and seasonal leisure itineraries all benefit once the number is active nationwide.
Also prioritize if your membership is expired or about to expire and you want an in-person path close to home. A regional clinic is often simpler than a permanent center far from southern Minnesota.
You can wait if you already hold a valid KTN and only need to add it to airline profiles. Enrollment is not the same as a new PreCheck lane opening inside the RST checkpoint.
RST’s security page still treats checkpoint staffing around published departure times as a separate operational fact. Even with PreCheck, arrive early enough for the published schedule, especially when a flight is delayed and the checkpoint may close earlier than the new departure time.
Families should enroll each eligible adult who needs the benefit. One parent’s KTN does not automatically open every boarding pass in the household.
How to complete the clinic without a wasted trip
Start the IDEMIA application online in August when RST says appointments open. Finishing the form before you drive shortens the in-person stop.
Book a firm slot when you can. Walk-ins are allowed, but four days is still finite inventory for a multi-county catchment that includes Rochester, surrounding towns, and Mayo-related travel.
Bring the identity and citizenship documents IDEMIA and TSA list for your category. A missing passport page or green card document is the most common reason a planned visit becomes a second trip.
Pay only through the official process at the appointment. Do not treat third-party “expedite” sites as the RST clinic, and do not enter card details on a pre-enrollment page that demands payment early.
After approval, add the Known Traveler Number to airline profiles and every open reservation. A number that sits only in email does not print a PreCheck boarding pass.
If September 22 to 25 does not work, use the national IDEMIA network of enrollment centers instead of waiting for the next RST-specific week. The membership is national once approved.
What this clinic does not change by itself
This is not a same-day RST lane guarantee. It is a dated enrollment event with walk-in flexibility and an August appointment opening.
It is not a change to TSA prohibited-item rules or a free security upgrade. You still follow standard screening rules until the Known Traveler Number is active on the ticket.
It is not Global Entry. RST’s Wednesday Customs interviews are a different program with a different schedule and a different application path.
Deep Arrival’s practical screening pages remain useful after you hold a KTN. Use the TSA electronics rules guide for laptops and tablets, and the belts, clothes, and shoes packing guide when you want fewer surprises at the checkpoint.
Minnesota trip planning after you land is a separate decision. Deep Arrival’s Stillwater things to do shortlist is a natural bridge for travelers combining RST flights with Twin Cities edge days, but it does not replace the enrollment calendar on flyrst.com.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Need PreCheck and can reach RST Sept 22 to 25 | Pre-enroll online in August, hold a slot or plan a walk-in, and pay in person with documents ready. |
| Already hold a valid Known Traveler Number | Skip re-enrollment unless you need renewal, and add the number to every open reservation. |
| Cannot make those four days | Use a permanent IDEMIA enrollment center instead of waiting for another RST clinic week. |
| Already have Global Entry or similar | Confirm your existing KTN before paying for a duplicate PreCheck membership. |
| Travel with family | Enroll each eligible adult who needs the benefit and code every ticket after approval. |
- August: Watch for online appointments on the IDEMIA PreCheck site for the RST clinic.
- Sept 22 to 25: Arrive with identity documents; hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; walk-ins welcome.
- Payment: Expect to pay in person; do not pay on an unauthorized pre-enrollment page.
- After the visit: Wait for the Known Traveler Number, then add it to airline profiles and open tickets.
- Separate path: Use Wednesday Customs appointments at RST only if you want Global Entry, not this clinic.
Treat flyrst.com and the official IDEMIA application as the two load-bearing pages for this stream. If either calendar changes, those pages win over older summaries.
When is the RST TSA PreCheck enrollment clinic?
Rochester International Airport lists September 22 through 25, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Do I need an appointment?
Online appointments open in August, and RST says walk-ins are welcome. Booking ahead is still the safer plan when inventory is limited.
When do I pay for enrollment?
RST says payment is collected in person at the appointment. There is no payment during legitimate pre-enrollment online.
Is this the same as Global Entry at RST?
No. Global Entry interviews at RST are a separate Customs path offered on Wednesdays. The September clinic is TSA PreCheck enrollment.
Will I get PreCheck on my next RST flight the same day?
Not automatically. You need approval and a Known Traveler Number coded on the reservation before the PreCheck indicator appears.
