The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will vote today whether to put the Registered Traveler Program in place at Ronald Reagan Washington National and Dulles International Airports, WTOP reports.

Registered Traveler, which is provided by a private company, allows expedited security screening for passengers who volunteer to undergo a TSA-conducted background check. Passengers approved for the program are then given a special biometric card that gives them access to pre-screened security lines. The fees for enrollment include a $28 yearly TSA fee for the background check, and then an additional fee from the Registered Traveler provider at the airport. In some participating airports, additional benefits such as complimentary baggage service or discounted concessions are included with the membership. A list of airports that already participate in the program can be found here.

Sounds like a pretty great idea to us. Anything we can do to make flying out of our area airports not the one of the most dehumanizing experiences imaginable gets a big thumbs up.

UPDATE 1:01 p.m.: We’ve just received word that The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors has voted to approve the award of a contract to Verified Identity Pass. Inc. to implement a Registered Traveler program at both Ronald Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles International Airports. Verified Identity Pass operates a program called Clear — follow the link for more details. Clear’s current cost is $100 plus the TSA vetting fee of $28, for a total charge of $128. An implementation schedule and program design for both airports still needs to be submitted for approval.

Photo by billadler