The solution exists but unfortunately for your affordability criterion it means flying first class.

First class has its own levels I think, just because you spend 10k for a flight you're not going with a limo directly under the plane without any wait in the airport. Some airports do have shortcuts though, that's true.

Isn't PreCheck supposed to lessen that a bit?

I don't think "security" is going to be lessened in our lifetime, if anything it can only get worse. Disrupting the space would take an insane amount of money you don't have. People who have money, can fly private.

Everybody getting PreCheck and all those other features is basically lessening security, but only if you pay.

It’s not lessening security.

It's certainly lessening privacy at the very least. Government sanctioned spying in exchange for saving a few minutes.

The information you provide as part of PreCheck is all stuff the US government already likely posesses on you.

It's really not. You just provide some info that the government already has along with your fingerprints, they do a quick background check, and you're done. Whether you have PreCheck or not, the government knows what flights you've taken because the airlines have to submit their passenger lists. $85 for 5 years of less hassle at security is worth it for anyone who flies even once every 1-2 years.

I'd happily part with the $85 or whatever nominal amount, but I almost never fly through the USA.

Its lessening security theater if I understand the process correctly. I'm not American.

The worst part about flying is sitting in an uncomfortable, cramped space for hours

To me, the worst part about flying is landing. As soon as you land a ton of inpatient people stand up and just rush to stand and wait in the middle isle. Every single flight this happens on.

Planes need to have exits on the rear, middle, and front of the plane to make deplaning a lot easier and quicker.

If this issue is ever solved it will be a miracle.

Every plane has front and rear exits, and the bigger ones have middle exits as well. The issue is airport infrastructure, not the planes.