Chelsea Dickenson
Published January 31, 2026 4:00pm
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I was determined to be the victor (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)
On a recent holiday, I decided to put Stansted airport to the test.
I raced my partner through security to find out if the airport fast track was actually worth paying £6.99 for.
This was no longer just a flight, it was a competition, and I was determined to be the victor.
I did up my belt, slung my backpack over my shoulders and dashed out of security fully expecting to see my boyfriend James waiting for me.
But there was no sign of him.
Which was odd, because I’d joined the normal security queue, while he’d paid £6.99 for fast track. Surely he should have beaten me, I thought to myself.
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We were flying to Antalya with Pegasus airlines on a Friday lunchtime and had arrived at the airport around 90 minutes before departure – as a seasoned traveller I rarely arrive any earlier than this for a short haul flight.
Fast track promises speed, the quietly superior feeling of gliding past queues and breezing through security (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)
It felt busy, but not chaotic – a steady stream of people shuffling eagerly towards the start of their holidays, with most heading straight ahead into normal security.
Every now and then, someone would peel off to the right, towards the fast track lane, where the promise of quicker, easier access glinted enticingly.
Fast track promises speed, the quietly superior feeling of gliding past queues and breezing through security.
But we were determined to find out if it was actually worth the cost.
As someone obsessed with working out whether travel ‘upgrades’ are genuinely worth the money, I suggested a race. James darted off towards the fast track line, while I stuck with the free option.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DTyXDl3iAzA/
To my pleasant surprise, the normal lanes were almost empty. I scanned my boarding pass, walked briskly through the winding queue and reached the front in under a minute.
Then came the familiar panic: I hadn’t put my liquids into a clear plastic bag. Even a seasoned traveller like me can forget that annoying hurdle.
I glanced up, praying for one of the newer scanners – and once again, luck was on my side. And as more airports switch to these new bits of kit – and drop the 100ml liquid limits, as we saw at Heathrow last week – I think the normal security queue is only going to get quicker.
Still, taking no chances, I removed my filming equipment and power bank anyway, having been pulled for those before.
James had come unstuck last time we raced (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)
Then I realised I still had my belt on.
I ran back, whipped it off and finally stepped through the body scanner, bracing myself for the most stressful part of airports – waiting to see if your bag gets pulled.
I waited anxiously. This was the exact moment James had come unstuck last time we raced – at Gatwick – when his bag was randomly selected and he ended up stuck in a huge backlog for over 15 minutes.
Seconds ticked by. Then the light turned green.
My tray rolled down. Victory was so close, the finish line in sight.
Perhaps he was already enjoying the free gin samples in duty free (Picture: Getty Images)
I repacked, adjusted my bag and walked out into the corridor, fully expecting to see James grinning triumphantly.
Still no sign of him.
Perhaps he was already enjoying the free gin samples in duty free, I thought.
But as I passed the final exit from security, I spotted him.
Still inside the fast track. So much for an ‘upgrade’.
I let out a wild cackle, ducked behind a wall and waited the extra two minutes it took for him to finally emerge. When I jumped out in triumph, his face said it all.
I let out a wild cackle, ducked behind a wall and waited the extra two minutes it took for him to finally emerge (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)
Once again, he’d lost, having been pulled for a random check. And while that alone doesn’t always add much time, the issue is what happens next.
Fast track lanes often have fewer staff and fewer secondary checking areas. So if multiple people get pulled at once, a queue builds up quickly. And from what I’ve seen, fast track is particularly popular with families – who naturally have more bags, more liquids and more things that can go wrong.
Add in the fact that crew and passengers who require assistance, need to go ahead, suddenly the ‘fast’ lane isn’t moving so fast.
The verdict is in
POLL PollDo you think airport fast track is worth the cost?
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In my experience fast track can be worth the extra fee – but only at genuinely busy times. Think school holidays, weekends and early mornings. And even then, you should always be aware it’s still a gamble.
The problem is that busyness is hard to predict. Some airports are notoriously worse than others – Manchester, for example, is infamous for queues snaking through terminals, with fast track selling out in advance.
At quieter regional airports, or during off-peak midweek travel, I rarely find fast track worth it – especially when travelling alone or as a couple, without children.
For me, it’s less about minutes saved and more about tolerance. Fifteen minutes is my personal queue limit. If fast track can cut a 30 minute wait down to 15, then maybe it’s worth £6.99.
But if the normal queue is short, I’m happy to save the money.
If I’m travelling during peak periods, I’ll often check social media to help me decide whether to part with that extra money. People are very quick to post about security issues, so a quick Instagram search of the airport can be surprisingly revealing.
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Fast track does make sense for anxious travellers, those in need of further assistance, families juggling a lot of moving parts, or anyone cutting it fine on time.
Early morning flights, or trips where missing the flight simply isn’t an option, are when I’d still consider it. As a budget traveller, I like to save my money, but I also can recognise when an upgrade is worth the fees.
But otherwise I’d rather save the £7 towards my holiday.
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After all, there’s no better feeling than waiting smugly on the other side of security, watching your partner emerge knowing they paid extra – for absolutely nothing.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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