How TSA PreCheck Used Friction as a Marketing Strategy

Product Marketing with Fexingo · 2026-06-16 · 13 min

Episode notes

Episode 55 of Product Marketing with Fexingo unpacks the counterintuitive marketing strategy behind TSA PreCheck. Hosts Lucas and Luna explore how the US government turned airport security - a source of universal friction - into a premium, opt-in product that travelers actually pay for. They trace the program's launch in 2011, the chicken-and-egg problem of enrollment vs. lane adoption, and the specific marketing decision to make the application process deliberately inconvenient: requiring in-person interviews at enrollment centers. The episode contrasts PreCheck's friction-as-feature approach with the frictionless promise of Clear, and examines how TSA used scarcity of expedited lanes, word-of-mouth from frequent flyers, and a deliberate 'not for everyone' positioning to create perceived value. By 2025, PreCheck had over 40 million members. The hosts argue that adding intentional friction can be a powerful product marketing tactic when the goal is to signal exclusivity and trustworthiness.

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