Last year, we reported on a Registered Traveler program, a brainchild of the Transportation Safety Administration, which is designed to expedite the security screening process for frequent business travelers. This week, the American Association of Airline Executives has announced that the program, since its inception in 2007, has recently received the paperwork for the 100,000th enrollment.

In the registered traveler program, frequent travelers may apply for a special secure ID card which allows them to circumvent the normal check-in and security processes at airport by going through a special security gate. To take advantage of these shortcuts, travelers must undergo a rigorous security background check and pay a small fee. Once passed, they recieve a secure Registered Traveler ID card, which they show as they pass through the special security section. For business travelers who are on the road several times a month, this efficient alternative to waiting in the snaking security line can be a life (and meeting) saver.
The Registered Traveler program started out in the Washington D.C. area, at Washington Dulles and Reagan Washington National airports, but has expanded to 16 airports, from Reno to Cincinatti. Ten more airports have expressed interest in the program, and airports in Canada have also started to show interest in this efficient program for frequent travelers.