TTPRADARGlobal Entry approval doesn't automatically switch on TSA PreCheck. The number CBP issues you, your PASSID, is the same number airlines call a Known Traveler Number, and PreCheck only shows up on your boarding pass once that number is entered into your reservation correctly. Get one field wrong and an approved membership sits in your account doing nothing.
Your PASSID and your KTN are the same number
There is no separate TSA PreCheck enrollment step for Global Entry members. The PASSID that CBP assigns when your Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI application is approved is the exact nine-digit number you enter as your KTN for TSA PreCheck.
It works from the moment your membership is approved, not from the moment your physical card arrives. CBP has confirmed you don't need the card in hand to use Global Entry at the airport, and the same applies to the PreCheck benefit that comes with it.
Where to find your PASSID
Log in to your Trusted Traveler Programs account and check your membership status. Once it reads approved, your PASSID is listed on that page. It's also printed on the physical Global Entry card once it arrives, but there's no reason to wait for the mail if you just need the number for a flight.
Adding it to an airline booking
The KTN has to go into the dedicated KTN field on the reservation itself. TSA is explicit about this: the number needs to be added when you book a flight for the PreCheck indicator to appear on the boarding pass. There are two ways to do it.
Save it to your airline profile
Most airlines let you add a KTN to your frequent flyer or travel profile once. After that, it carries over to future bookings made under that account, as long as the reservation pulls your profile details.
Add it per booking
If you're booking as a guest, flying on an airline you don't have a profile with, or booking through a site that doesn't pull profile data, you need to add the KTN manually to that specific reservation, usually in the same screen where you enter your name and date of birth.
Why the indicator sometimes doesn't show up
Entering the KTN is not a guarantee. TSA's own guidance lists the usual failure points: the name, date of birth, or KTN on the reservation doesn't exactly match what CBP and TSA have on file, or the airline doesn't participate in TSA PreCheck. A missing middle name, a maiden name still on file, or a typo in the KTN is enough to suppress the indicator with no warning.
Flashing your Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI card at the checkpoint doesn't get you into the PreCheck lane either. TSA requires the indicator printed on the boarding pass. The card by itself isn't accepted as a substitute.
If it's still missing close to a flight
TSA's guidance is straightforward: confirm your membership and KTN haven't expired, then double check with the airline that your name, date of birth, and KTN on the reservation match your Global Entry record exactly. Many airlines let you edit the KTN on an existing booking without canceling it.
If the indicator still isn't there and your flight is close, contact TSA directly rather than the airline. TSA asks that you reach out within 72 hours of the issue through @AskTSA on X, Facebook Messenger, Apple Business Chat, a text to 275-872, the TSA Contact Center at (866) 289-9673, or the online contact form.
For more on what happens between applying and actually flying with Global Entry, the Global Entry guide library covers the rest of the process, and the FAQ answers the questions that come up most often after approval.