#6: TSA PreCheck Vs. Global Entry

Flight Tip Friday

Basic Airport Tips

If you’ve ever been to the airport or even done a Google search for airline related topics, you will have inevitably come across the terms TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. They’re actually two completely unrelated programs, they just happen to have the same application. Here’s your guide to the basic differences between TSA PreCheck and Global Entry.

TSA PreCheck

You know that pesky (sometimes not so little) security checkpoint you have to pass when you get to the airport? That’s controlled and operated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), owned and operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security. They confiscate your water bottles, maybe even cop a feel after you pass through the massive sized x-ray machine. It’s a grand old time, really.

The security lines at the airport tend to get a backed up at peak times of the day. Yes, this is specific to where and when you are flying from, but it’s safe to assume that most times it’s a hassle. The TSA recognized this, and designed a program that expedites people through the security screening process. Enter TSA PreCheck.

TSA PreCheck was designed for frequent travelers as a means of pre-screening them. People who enroll in the program are thus considered “safe” or “known” travelers. Hence the sister term of TSA PreCheck – “trusted traveler”. For a small fee, travelers are afforded certain luxuries at the screening checkpoint that make the process significantly faster.

Note: For a TSA PreCheck to be applicable, the airline you are flying on must participate in the program as well. Airlines not enrolled in the program will not be able to accept your PreCheck number, and it must be printed on your boarding pass in order to be valid at the security checkpoint.

Benefits of TSA PreCheck

Global Entry

Unlike TSA PreCheck, Global Entry is controlled and operated by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This program is specifically for passengers who are arriving from international destinations to the United States, to expedite the immigration and customs process.

Any time you go international, it is mandatory for you to pass through immigration and customs. That’s when they put a stamp in your passport and make sure you’re not smuggling illegal goods into the country. This is true for every country in the world.

CBP developed the Global Entry program to expedite this process for members who are arriving ONLY into the United States from international destinations. It also applies for land travel to Canada and Mexico in place of a passport (explained in benefits below).

Note: Global Entry does not work in other countries with the exception of Canada and Mexico. When going through immigration and customs in another country, you will still need to clear the old fashioned stand on line “forever if you’re a foreigner” cue.

Benefits of Global Entry

No Standing in Line to Clear Immigration in the United States. For all domestic airlines that are Global Entry equipped, you clear at a kiosk. Your passport will automatically populate your Global Entry information, so your card is NOT physically needed. The process takes under a minute.
Cardholders are permitted land entry to Canada and Mexico when presenting Global Entry in place of a passport (with restrictions, see CBP website for more on this rule).
Internationally Recognized ID - Since Global Entry is issued by the US government and shows the country of origin, it counts as a valid form of ID in other countries. While you will still need to fly with your passport, having a Global Entry card means not needing to carry the passport around all the time.

Applying for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry

Here’s the trick: if you enroll in Global Entry, you automatically get TSA PreCheck as part of the bargain. That is NOT true in reverse. Getting TSA PreCheck does not enroll you in Global Entry.

The fee is $85 for PreCheck alone, and $100 for both programs together. If you travel internationally at all, in my opinion it’s worth the extra $15 for the added convenience of Global Entry. They’re both valid for 5 years from the issue date. Either way, you fill out the pre-application online and then have to attend a 10 min in person interview to complete enrollment.

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Flight Tip Friday

Basic Airport Tips