If you fly more than a couple of times a year and you've watched a long airport security line stretch across the terminal, you've probably wondered whether one of the government's Trusted Traveler Programs is worth the price. The two best-known options are TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. Both let you skip the standard lines. Both run through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. But they cover different parts of your trip, cost different amounts, and suit different travelers.

Here's the short answer up front. TSA PreCheck speeds you through domestic airport security. Global Entry speeds you through U.S. customs when you return from an international trip, and it includes TSA PreCheck as part of the membership. For most travelers who hold a passport, Global Entry is the better value because you get both benefits for $23 more. This guide walks through how each program works, what they cost as of May 2026, who qualifies, how the application process actually plays out, and the lesser-known options (NEXUS, SENTRI, Mobile Passport Control, the iOS 26 digital ID) that sit alongside them.

Quick Answer

If you ever travel internationally, get Global Entry. It costs $100, lasts five years, and includes free TSA PreCheck. If your travel is entirely domestic and likely to stay that way, TSA PreCheck on its own runs around $77.95 to $85 depending on the enrollment provider, also valid for five years. Both programs require a background check and an in-person interview.

Why This Matters

The standard airport security process can eat 20 to 45 minutes of your morning, longer at busy hubs like JFK, LAX, or ATL. You take off your shoes, belt, and jacket. You pull out your laptop and your quart-sized bag of liquids. You walk through a body scanner with your arms up. A Trusted Traveler Program changes most of that. Shoes stay on. Belts stay on. Laptops stay in the bag. The line is usually shorter, sometimes dramatically so. For a frequent flyer, the time saved across a year easily justifies the fee. For an occasional traveler, the comfort and predictability matter more than the minutes.

The other reason this matters: many travel credit cards now reimburse the application fee. If you carry a card that offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, the program is effectively free. Pair that with the fact that approval lasts five years, and the per-trip cost is rounding error.

TSA PreCheck Explained

TSA PreCheck is administered by the Transportation Security Administration, the agency that runs U.S. airport security checkpoints. It's a domestic-focused program. Approval gets you access to dedicated PreCheck lanes at participating airports, where you can keep your shoes, belt, and light jacket on and leave your laptop and 3-1-1 liquids inside your carry-on. The body scanner is replaced by a walk-through metal detector at most checkpoints.

As of May 2026, TSA PreCheck operates at more than 200 U.S. airports and is honored by roughly 90 participating airlines, including all the major carriers (American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, and most regional partners). The full list of airports and airlines is maintained at tsa.gov.

Application

The TSA PreCheck application has two steps. You fill out the online form, which takes about five minutes and asks for basic biographical information, immigration status, and any prior criminal history. Then you schedule an in-person appointment at an enrollment center. The appointment runs about ten minutes and covers fingerprinting and a quick interview. If you pass the background check, you receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) by mail or email, usually within three to five days, though TSA notes some applicants wait up to 60 days.

You add your KTN to your airline reservation (most loyalty profiles let you save it permanently) and a "TSA PRE" indicator prints on your boarding pass.

One recent change as of 2026: TSA PreCheck enrollment is now offered by multiple authorized providers. The original provider, IDEMIA, charges $77.95 for new enrollment. CLEAR PreCheck, Telos, and a few others are also authorized, with prices ranging from $77.95 to $85. Renewals are typically $70 and can be completed online without another in-person visit, assuming your information hasn't changed.

Benefits

The expedited lane is the main draw. In practice, the average PreCheck wait time hovers around five minutes nationwide. You keep your shoes, belt, and light outerwear on. Electronics and liquids stay in your bag. Children 17 and under can use the PreCheck lane when accompanied by a parent or guardian who has it, which makes family travel much smoother.

One caveat. TSA reserves the right to send any traveler, including PreCheck members, through standard screening as part of randomized risk-based security. It doesn't happen often, but it can happen, so don't show up to the airport assuming the line will be empty.

Eligibility

U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents can apply. Certain criminal convictions, violations of transportation security regulations, or incomplete application information can lead to denial. If you're denied, you can request a written explanation and appeal.

Global Entry Explained

Global Entry is administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It's built for travelers returning to the U.S. from international trips. Members use dedicated Global Entry kiosks (now often replaced by facial-recognition lanes that work without scanning a passport) and bypass the regular customs and immigration lines. There's no paper declaration form and no agent interview in most cases. As of May 2026, Global Entry processing is available at more than 75 U.S. airports plus pre-clearance locations in 16 countries.

The single biggest reason Global Entry is the better deal for most travelers: a Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck. Your Known Traveler Number works for both. You get the customs benefit on the way home and the security-line benefit every time you fly domestically.

Application

The application starts at ttp.dhs.gov, the official Trusted Traveler Programs portal. You create an account, complete the online application, and pay the $100 fee. CBP reviews the application and, if you pass the initial vetting, sends you a "conditionally approved" notice asking you to schedule an in-person interview. Interview slots at Global Entry Enrollment Centers can be hard to find at major airports during peak travel seasons, and wait times have stretched to several months in some cities.

Two workarounds. First, Enrollment on Arrival lets you complete the interview at U.S. customs when you next return from an international trip, with no separate appointment needed. Second, some enrollment centers offer walk-in slots if you arrive early. Either approach can shave weeks or months off the timeline.

Once approved, your membership is valid for five years. Renewal is $100 and can usually be done online.

Benefits

You skip the customs and immigration line on re-entry. At airports with the newer facial-recognition lanes, you walk up to a camera, get verified, and continue to baggage claim, often in under a minute. You don't fill out the paper customs declaration. You can still be selected for secondary inspection, but it's rare. And because the membership includes TSA PreCheck, you also get the expedited domestic security benefit every time you fly within the U.S.

Children must have their own Global Entry membership to use the kiosks, even when traveling with enrolled parents. There's no family rate, but the application process is the same.

Eligibility

U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, and citizens of a defined set of partner countries (currently including Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Germany, India, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom) can apply. Canadian citizens and residents access equivalent benefits through the NEXUS program.

TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry: Side-by-Side

Cost: TSA PreCheck runs $77.95-$85 for new enrollment, $70 for renewal. Global Entry is $100 for both.

Validity: Both last five years.

Domestic security: TSA PreCheck covers it. Global Entry covers it (PreCheck is included).

International customs: Global Entry covers it. TSA PreCheck does not.

Application: Both require an online application, a background check, and an in-person interview, though Global Entry's Enrollment on Arrival can replace the appointment.

Airports: TSA PreCheck operates at 200+ U.S. airports. Global Entry kiosks are at 75+ U.S. airports plus pre-clearance sites abroad.

Who it's for: TSA PreCheck for domestic-only travelers who want to avoid the security shuffle. Global Entry for anyone who flies internationally at least once a year, or expects to.

For a $23 difference, Global Entry is the better value for almost everyone who holds a passport. The only reason to pick TSA PreCheck alone is if you genuinely never plan to leave the country and you can't get an interview slot for Global Entry.

NEXUS, SENTRI, and Other Related Programs

Global Entry isn't the only trusted traveler option. Three others are worth knowing about, especially if your travel patterns lean toward Canada or Mexico.

NEXUS is the joint U.S.-Canada program. It costs $50 for five years (cheaper than either PreCheck or Global Entry), includes TSA PreCheck, includes Global Entry kiosks, and adds dedicated lanes at U.S.-Canada land and sea border crossings. If you cross the northern border regularly, or if you can get a NEXUS interview faster than a Global Entry interview, this is often the smartest play. The catch: interviews are conducted at NEXUS enrollment centers, mostly near the border, so it's most convenient for travelers who live in the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes states, or the Northeast.

SENTRI is the U.S.-Mexico equivalent. It costs $122.25 for five years, includes Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, and adds expedited lanes at U.S.-Mexico land border crossings. Mostly useful if you live near the southern border or cross it regularly for work.

Mobile Passport Control (MPC) is a free CBP app that lets you submit your customs declaration on your phone before landing. It doesn't give you TSA PreCheck and it's not as fast as Global Entry, but it does move you out of the standard customs line into a dedicated MPC lane at participating airports. If you're waiting for your Global Entry interview, or if you only fly internationally once every couple of years, MPC is a free stopgap.

What About CLEAR Plus?

CLEAR Plus is the program that often gets confused with TSA PreCheck. It's not the same thing. CLEAR Plus is a private service (currently $209 per year, though some credit cards and airline status programs discount it heavily) that uses biometric verification to escort you to the front of the security line. Once you reach the checkpoint, you still go through screening, which means you still benefit from TSA PreCheck if you have it.

The two programs are complementary rather than competitive. CLEAR Plus shortens the line wait. TSA PreCheck shortens the screening itself. Heavy travelers often hold both. If you're choosing one, TSA PreCheck (or Global Entry) is cheaper, valid longer, and gets you the actual security-process benefits. CLEAR Plus only makes sense if you regularly fly from airports with bad line waits and you can offset most of the annual fee with a credit card credit.

Credit Card Reimbursement: How to Get the Fee Back

A long list of travel cards now reimburse the application fee for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. The credit typically appears as a statement credit (up to $100 or $120) once every four or five years, after you charge the application to that card. As of May 2026, cards that commonly offer this benefit include the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the American Express Platinum, the Capital One Venture X, the Capital One Venture, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, the United Club Infinite, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, the Hilton Aspire, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, and the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve. Always confirm the current benefit on the issuer's website before applying.

The mechanics: charge the $100 application fee for Global Entry (or the $77.95-$85 for TSA PreCheck) to the qualifying card. The statement credit usually posts within one to two billing cycles. If you're a couple, each person can use a different card to cover their own application, effectively getting both memberships fully reimbursed.

The iOS 26 Digital ID Wrinkle

In late 2025, Apple rolled out a digital ID feature in the Wallet app (iOS 26 and later) that allows verified passport credentials to be used at TSA checkpoints in participating airports. As of May 2026, the digital passport works at TSA checkpoints in roughly 20 airports for U.S. citizens traveling domestically. It doesn't replace TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. It replaces the physical document you'd otherwise hand to the TSA officer.

The relevance for this decision: the digital ID makes domestic security marginally faster for everyone, including travelers without PreCheck, but PreCheck still gives you the meaningful benefit of keeping your shoes, belt, and laptop in place. If you've been holding off on applying because you assumed the digital passport would replace the need, it doesn't. Apply anyway.

How to Apply: Step by Step

Whether you're going for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, the process is similar.

  1. Go to ttp.dhs.gov and create a Trusted Traveler Programs account.
  2. Choose the program you want and complete the online application. Have your passport, driver's license, and address history for the last five years ready.
  3. Pay the application fee with your reimbursement-eligible credit card if you have one.
  4. Wait for the conditional approval email, usually within a few weeks.
  5. Schedule your in-person interview at an enrollment center. For Global Entry, consider Enrollment on Arrival if you have an international trip booked.
  6. Bring your passport and one other government ID to the interview. The interview itself is short: a few questions about your travel patterns and a fingerprint scan.
  7. Wait for final approval, then save your Known Traveler Number to every airline profile you use.

Common Application Mistakes

A few mistakes come up regularly, and each one can delay approval by weeks or months.

  1. Address mismatches. The address on your application must match your driver's license or passport. Even a small inconsistency (a missing apartment number, an old street name) can trigger a manual review.
  2. Incomplete travel or address history. The application asks for five years of address history and any international trips. Leaving gaps gets the file kicked back. Pull out an old calendar if you need to.
  3. Undisclosed criminal history. Failing to disclose an old arrest, even one that didn't lead to conviction, is grounds for denial. Disclosing it doesn't automatically disqualify you. Hiding it does.
  4. Booking a flight before adding your KTN. Once you get approved, edit every upcoming reservation to include your KTN. The system doesn't always backfill it automatically. Without the KTN on the boarding pass, you'll go through the regular line even with an active membership.
  5. Letting it lapse. Renewal opens a year before expiration. If you renew before the expiration date, you keep PreCheck benefits during the renewal process. Let it lapse and you wait at the back of the regular line until the new approval comes through.

FAQ

Can I have both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry?

You don't need both. Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck. If you already paid for PreCheck and later decide you want Global Entry, you can apply for Global Entry separately, but you won't get a refund or credit for the unused PreCheck time.

How long does approval take?

TSA PreCheck approvals typically come within three to five days after the in-person interview, though TSA notes some applicants wait up to 60 days. Global Entry is more variable: conditional approval often takes a few weeks, and finding an interview slot can take longer than that. Plan to apply at least three to four months before a trip you want it for.

Will my membership transfer to my spouse or kids?

No. Each person needs their own membership, including children. The KTN is tied to your individual record. The one exception: children 17 and under can use the TSA PreCheck lane when traveling with an enrolled parent or guardian, even without their own membership.

What happens if my passport changes during the five-year membership?

Log in to your Trusted Traveler Programs account and update the document number. Your membership stays valid. Your physical Global Entry card, if you have one, also stays valid for the original five-year period.

Does TSA PreCheck work for international departures?

It works for the domestic security checkpoint you pass through on the way to an international flight from a U.S. airport. It doesn't change anything about the customs or immigration process when you arrive at your destination, and it doesn't help you on the way back into the U.S. (that's what Global Entry does).

Bottom Line

If you hold a passport and ever expect to leave the country, apply for Global Entry. The $23 premium over TSA PreCheck buys you the customs benefit on the way home and the same PreCheck access for domestic flights. If you live near the Canadian border, look at NEXUS first because it's cheaper and includes both. If you're strictly domestic and likely to stay that way, TSA PreCheck on its own is still a great deal. Either way, run the application fee through a credit card that offers reimbursement and the membership effectively pays for itself.

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