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You’ve heard us drone on about some of our favorite travel hacks, time savers, favorite travel products, and money savers for about a year now, but have we talked about TSA PreCheck & Global Entry yet? Lets!
Picture this: it’s the day of your much-anticipated trip to wherever you’re excited about going. You’re packed and ready to go until life happens and delays you leaving for the airport on time (this usually means some sort of escaped animal, frozen water, or no electricity for us…sigh…we could write a whole post about ridiculous things that happen as we’re trying to leave). When you finally get to the airport, as a savvy traveler you’ve already checked in online and have your boarding pass on your phone, so you head straight for security because you’re not checking bags. Excellent. And then you get to the security line and things slow…way…down. You know the drill, file through the line where you’ll invariably end up behind the folks who have never traveled before, have no clue what to do, and have 5 kids with them. Yep, these are the folks who don’t take the liquids out of their bag, can’t understand why they should take their shoes off, and ask several times whether their iPad is the same as a laptop and so needs to come out of their bag. Hey, everyone has to start somewhere. If you’re like us, you only plan to get to the airport with just enough time to grab a coffee and stroll to your gate, with maybe a last-minute trip to the restroom before your plane is ready for you. So, when things happen to cause delays (because they always do), it can be a stressful start to your trip.
Similarly, have you ever traveled internationally and, after your long flight home (on which you may or may not have slept) you get the joyful experience of US Customs at your first airport in the US. Not familiar? Imagine a very long line (seriously, where did all these people come from?!) that never really seems to move. At the end you get to talk to a stoic Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent who asks about your trip, what you did, where you went, what you brought home with you, and the like. Finally, you’re welcomed home so you can collect your checked bag (we only check on the way home if we can help it) and re-check it to your final destination while heading to face security, again. Fun stuff.
Surely, you’re thinking, there must be a better way. Fortunately, there is. Welcome to the world of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. Both are things we were a little reluctant to spend the money on at the beginning of our travel adventures and neither are things we’re willing to do without now that we’ve seen the light. Let’s explain.
TSA PreCheck
This is probably our favorite travel program we’re a part of. Yes, even more than Global Entry, but that’s mostly because we use PreCheck more. So, what’s the big deal? When you get to the airport and find your way to the security screening area, you’ll notice two lines. Commonly on your right is the line where most folks go. You know, the one that moves slower than the laws of physics and time might suggest it should. Then, usually on the left, there’s a line that almost never has anyone in it, at least at our local airport. That line, the empty one, is the TSA PreCheck line. If you’re part of the club and are PreCheck approved, you’ll take that left and head straight to the TSA officer. They’ll check your documents and then tell you to go left again, at which point you toss your bag on the conveyor belt for its screening and walk through a regular metal detector before heading on your way. Note: at no point do you take anything out of your bag, remove your shoes, or anything else. You will need to empty your pockets, but otherwise, that’s about it. Easy breezy, grab your bag and head to your gate, after a coffee stop, naturally.
You might not think the regular security screening line takes that much time, but after you’ve had the PreCheck experience once, going back to the regular line is about as appealing as your upcoming high school reunion (shudder). Plus, not having to remove any of your things from your carefully packed bag keeps your belongings cleaner and less exposed to the nasty stuff you can pick up in the public transit world.
So, how do you join the PreCheck club? Great question. According to the TSA PreCheck Website, you’ll need to submit an application that takes roughly 5 minutes to complete. Once that’s done there’s a brief appointment (about 10 minutes) where you’ll answer a few questions and get fingerprinted. Then TSA will conduct a background check, making sure you’re not on any of the no-fly (or other) lists the government keeps. Once that’s done, you’ll get your approval and you’re all set. There is a $78 application fee and, once approved, your PreCheck is good for 5 years, at which point you’ll need to renew. Believe us, it’s well worth the money.
One quick reminder: after you’ve been approved for TSA PreCheck, each time you check in for your flight, take a quick look at your boarding pass. See a green check mark on the pass? Great, you’re all set to head to the PreCheck screening lane when you get to the airport. But, if you don’t see that check, make sure you stop by your airline’s check in desk at the airport to see if they can look into it. When you purchase your ticket, you must put your Known Traveler number in your reservation so they know you’re part of PreCheck and you get your little check mark. Also keep in mind that PreCheck is usually only found at US airports; if you’re travelling abroad, you might need to visit the regular line with everyone else. Apologies.
Global Entry
So, PreCheck is great for your domestic flights in the US, but it doesn’t really do you any favors when you’re coming home from a trip abroad and have to go through US Customs and Boarder Control. Good news, friends: this is where Global Entry comes into play.
After you deplane at your first airport in the US, your first stop will be US Customs. If you don’t have Global Entry, you’ll experience a scene not dissimilar from the one we described above with the security line. If you do have Global Entry, you can walk past that very long, slow line. Friendly tip: don’t wave as you walk by; it’s not received well. So, keep walking past those lines to the Global Entry area (there will be signs directing you, or just ask one of the helpful CBP folks in the area). Once there, you’ll walk up to a kiosk, which are typically quite empty, it’ll take your picture and give you a receipt. Then walk to the CBP officer, hand them your receipt, and continue on your way. In all, this experience almost always takes us less than 5 minutes. Amazing, right?
Interested? Good. If so, head over to the CBP’s Global Entry website and fill out your application. As with PreCheck, once your application is processed you’ll receive an e-mail directing you to schedule an in-person appointment at a Global Entry office (they’re usually located in international airports). At your appointment they’ll scan your passport, ask you a few questions, and take your picture. Once all of that is processed, you’ll receive your Global Entry card and Known Traveler ID number, which you can add to your flight information when you purchase your ticket(s).
The Global Entry application fee is $100 per person, but as with TSA PreCheck, to say this is worth the money is an understatement.
Free is Always Best
If you’re wanting to enroll in both PreCheck and Global Entry, the fees will total $178 per person and, again, the programs are good for 5 years (which amounts to about $36/year). But, if you’re a savvy traveler who responsibly uses travel-focused credit cards, make sure you check out the benefits that come with your card(s). If you have a mid- or top-tier card, the odds are good the card will cover your PreCheck and/or Global Entry fees so long as you use that card to pay for the application fees. For us, both our Platinum Card from American Express and United Club Infinite cards come with this benefit.
To sum it up, these programs are well worth the money to make your life easier and less stressful during your travels. And if you can get them for free, why not?
Happy travels!
