As an avid traveler I’ve waited in long lines at TSA many times. I’ve had the numerous gripes about the process in the past from the long lines, to removing shoes, removing belt, removing a laptop, and pat downs by TSA agents. I often heard people praising TSA PreCheck, but I thought that I don’t travel enough to warrant the cost. Upon reviewing the benefits of my Chase Sapphire Reserve travel card, I found that I would be reimbursed the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
So here is a quick rundown of the benefits of Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck provides expedited security screening benefits for flights departing from U.S. Airports. Global Entry provides the TSA PreCheck benefit plus expedited U.S. Customs and Border Protection screening for international air travelers when entering the United States. TSA PreCheck costs $85 and Global Entry costs $100 for a five year membership. Another benefit of Global Entry is Sentri Ready Lane access when reentering the U.S. from Mexico by land, which is useful when you live in Arizona. I compared Global Entry and TSA Precheck and found that Global Entry would be the better choice.
So I started the process with a trip to the Global Entry section of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website. First I checked my eligibility, being a U.S. citizen and with a clean record, I was deemed worthy. As the website instructed I created a Trusted Travelers Program account and then began the application. Most of the questions on the application were straight forward for me, since I had nothing in my background to justify. The part that takes up most of the application is listing everywhere you have lived for the past 5 years, all your employers for the past 5 years, and the countries that you’ve traveled to in the past 5 years. After completing the application, I submitted my nonrefundable payment of $100 and then waited for my conditional approval.
Five days later I received an email with my conditional approval which prompted me to schedule my interview appointment. I scheduled my appointment for the next available day which was in three days. My closest enrollment was at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. So three days passed and i made my way to Terminal 4 of PHX Sky Harbor Airport at found my way to the Global Entry Enrollment Center about fifteen minutes before my appointment. I was sitting for a minute when a Customs agent emerged and called my name.
The first part of the interview was composed of the agent reviewing and confirming my employment and residential history. Next I gave the agent my driver’s license and passport for review. Finally the agent took my photo and fingerprints and told me that if approved I should get my Global Entry card within ten days. The entire interview process took only five minutes and I was leaving the airport before my appointment time arrived. The next day I received an email saying my Global Entry had been approved and six days later I received my Global Entry Card in the mail.
So since I received my Global Entry, it has made flights so much easier. I really enjoy going through the TSA PreCheck line and simply tossing my bag on the screening belt and walking through the metal detector with my belt and shoes on. Plus reentering the U.S. from Mexico has been so much easier with being able to use the Sentri Ready Lane.
If you’re a frequent traveler or just someone in a rush, I recommend looking into Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Find more information at the links below:
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry
