United MileagePlus recently sent out an e-mail with an offer for another way to redeem some of your airline miles.

You can redeem 10,000 miles for TSA PreCheck, which is good for 5 years.

TSA PreCheck costs $85 for a 5 year membership so this clearly is not a good offer. If we value United miles at just .01¢ each, you’d still be looking at a $100 value for 10,000 miles although it should be more.

If you’re looking to get TSA PreCheck, it pays to just sign up for Global Entry which costs $100 for 5 years. (You’re Global Entry membership includes PreCheck.)

For those of you interested in using United miles for PreCheck, here are some things to consider.

• Only US citizens and US lawful permanent residents can apply
• You need to be a United MileagePlus member with an account in the US, DC, Puerto Rico or Guam to use miles to get a payment code good for TSA PreCheck.
• If you have Global Entry, TSA Pre✓® is included, so no need to apply

Benefits of TSA PreCheck: (from the e-mail)

• Expedited security screening  for trusted travelers at over 180 US airports for 5 years.
• No need to remove shoes, laptops, liquids, belts or light jackets.
• Children ages 12 and under can accompany a parent or guardian who has TSA PreCheck.

So what do you think- is United MileagePlus offering a fair deal to spend 10,000 miles for a TSA PreCheck membership? I think it’s pretty weak.

Find out more about the offer here.