What is Global Entry and TSA PreCheck?
The US government has five “trusted traveler” programs. They expedite border crossings and airport customs. If you travel at least once a year, this might be worth considering. Even occasional travelers can save a lot of time.
The programs (Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST) are “risk-based programs to facilitate the entry of pre-approved travelers.” After applying for membership to one, the government can look into your background and interview you. It’s a simple process and doesn’t take much time, although it may take a while for the government to process your paperwork. Memberships are valid for 5 years once approved.
A private option is CLEAR. They use biometric data (your face and eyes) to create a touch-free ID pass, which can be used at airports to quickly go through airport security. It can be combined with TSA PreCheck for extra speed. It’s available in 34 cities as of early 2022, and costs up to $180 per year. (It’s free or discounted through Delta, United, or the American Express Platinum card.)
Which program should you enroll in?
The best one depends on where and how you travel. Eligibility also varies between programs.
- TSA PreCheck is for domestic airline travel within the U.S.
- NEXUS is for air/land/sea travel within the U.S. and Canada.
- SENTRI covers air and land travel within the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Global Entry covers all air/land/sea travel.
SENTRI and FAST don’t apply to most people, and they don’t have their fees covered by credit cards, so we won’t discuss those options here.
If in doubt, apply for Global Entry. It’s the most comprehensive option, and it includes TSA PreCheck. But if you never travel outside of North America, it might be better to get NEXUS or SENTRI (which also include TSA PreCheck).
Are there other government programs for travelers?
There’s a free government program for when you’re traveling internationally: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). The State Department describes the benefits as:
- “Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.”
- “Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.”
- “Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.”
Best credit cards to get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck for free
This is the most expensive travel card due to the $695 annual fee (AF). Its long-term value depends on whether you’ll use enough annual credits to offset the AF. The Platinum varies on a case-by-case basis more than other cards.
Bank of America Premium Rewards
Bank of America’s cards are best suited to people who’ll have Platinum status or higher in the Preferred Rewards program. Premium Rewards is reasonable at all levels, though. The low $95 annual fee is offset by a $100 annual airline credit and the Global Entry reimbursement.
Unlike most cards, this gives Global Entry reimbursements every 5 years instead of every 4 to 4.5 years. This is inconvenient if you can’t renew Global Entry before its 5-year expiration date. The Black card is relatively poor compared to its competitors, so we wouldn’t recommend it for most people.
The $395 annual fee (AF) is offset by $400+ in annual credits and bonuses. It’s basically a zero-fee card for anyone who spends more than $300-400 per year on travel. The Capital One Venture ($95 AF) also has the Global Entry credit, but is generally a worse option than the Venture X.
The Sapphire Reserve’s $550 AF isn’t as easy to offset as some other annual fees, but it can pack a lot of value. The Chase Trifecta and $300+ in annual credits can effectively make this is a low-fee or zero-fee card. It also has some of the best travel insurance protections.
This is one of the tougher cards on this list to get, but it can be valuable. The $400 AF is offset by $350 in annual travel credits, among other benefits.
Navy Federal Credit Union Flagship
This card has a $49 annual fee alongside its Global Entry credit, which is fine short-term, but other options can be better long-term. We usually recommend Penfed’s cards over the Flagship.
PenFed Credit Union Pathfinder Rewards
This is the only 100% free way to get Global Entry and a version of Priority Pass. Every other significant card has an annual fee attached.
Provident Credit Union World+ Travel
This card has a $45 annual fee (waived the first year). It includes Global Entry and Priority Pass. The Priority Pass is the basic version though, where you still have to pay for each visit. Provident says it’s $27 per person, but that was updated 3 years ago; it’s probably the standard $32 now. In general, it’s better to get the PenFed card instead, which has more benefits and a $0 AF.
U.S. Bank has some regional restrictions, but the Altitude Reserve is easy to use for anyone who’s able to get it. Earning up to 4.5% cash back on any mobile wallet purchase (or travel) is hard to beat. Its $400 AF is negligible after the $325 annual credit and other perks. If that’s still too much for you, try their $95 AF card (the U.S. Bank Altitude Go) which also has Global Entry reimbursement.
Other credit card options
Airline and hotel cards, like the AMEX Delta SkyMiles Platinum, can cover Global Entry as well. But that depends heavily on which airlines and hotels you prefer. The above options are more flexible and should work well for most people. Wealth Management cards like the UBS Visa Infinite are also options, but those are difficult to get for 95% of people.
Renewing Global Entry
The renewal process is straightforward. It can be completed up to 12 months before your Global Entry status expires. (If you renew down to the wire, your status is extended while your application is pending, so there isn’t any need to worry.) To renew, you log into the DHS website, review your information and update things as needed, then pay the fee. This can be completed within 5-10 minutes total. Your application is then processed. If you’re lucky, your application is automatically approved within a few days and you won’t have to re-interview for Global Entry. If you’re unlucky, the processing time could take “months” and/or you may need to attend another interview.
If you have two credit cards that offer Global Entry reimbursement/credit, we recommend alternating them to be 200% certain that you get the reimbursement. In this case, you also don’t have to look up the waiting period before your credit is available again. You can then renew every 4 years with zero potential stress, and no time wasted.