Global entry & TSA precheck

[-Cal-]

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@sillykitty1 wrote:

I have Pre Check, and not Global Entry.  Although I agree Global Entry is a better option, there are some practical reasons to choose TSA Pre Check instead

The appointment dates are much further out for GE vs, TSA Pre.  I was able to get a TSA Pre appt within a couple of days, where as GE appointments are 8+ weeks out.  I travel for work and my schedule is far too unpredictable to know for certain I'll be in town & available.

There are many more TSA Pre locations, and they are far more convenient.  GE appt locations are at large airports, and border crossings.  While TSA PRe locations are in smaller airports and also random office complexes.  Living in SoCal my 2 GE locations are either LAX or at the border, south of San Diego.  My closest TSA Pre location was in a quiet office park about 5 miles from my home.

If you're traveling companion/s don't have GE, then it really negates any benefit you derive from it.  If I have TSA Pre and the other person does not, I still save the shoes, computer removal hassle.  There is also pretty good odds, my companion might be randomly selected for TSA Pre as well.  

I haven't found immigration lines long enough to regret not getting GE.  I've traveled 5 times internationally in the last year.  Not once would GE have saved me more than 15 minutes.  Maybe it's because 4 out of the 5 times, I've done immigration at LAX?

Lastly, IME, 90% of the time the Pre Check line is faster than the regular line.  The biggest problem I have with it, is it is full of "low risk travelers" who get randomly selected for Pre Check.  This slows down the process because low risk travelers are, children, older people, and infrequent traveler. Exactly the opposite of whom frequent travelers want to share a line with.

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Here's my experience: 

While the appointment dates are farther out, there is a strategy to getting your interview sooner by calling in (not guaranteed). 

Not all GE enrollment centers are at large airports. For example, there is one at Long Beach. 

Companions traveling with me on domestic flights appear to always receive TSA Precheck regardless if they have GE/TSA Precheck. I believe it's YMMV when going through CBP. Alternatively, you can tell your travel companions to get the Mobile Passport app on their iPhone (or other devices) to breeze through customs. 

Regardless of who else is in PreCheck, it is ALWAYS better than going through the regular screening lines. 

[Anonymous]

Another program to consider, if you live close to the Canadian border or can travel there for your interview, is NEXUS. It's only $50 for 5 years, free for children, and gives you Global Entry, TSA Pre, PLUS expedited entry into Canada by land, air or water. Extra benefits for half the price (it especially pays off if you have young children since they're free with NEXUS but not Global Entry).

Unfortunately Amex refused to reimburse me for the $50 NEXUS application fee on my Platinum card. Kind of silly if you ask me, but I go to Canada often enough that the benefits over and above GE are worth it to me.

[K-in-Boston]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Another program to consider, if you live close to the Canadian border or can travel there for your interview, is NEXUS. It's only $50 for 5 years, free for children, and gives you Global Entry, TSA Pre, PLUS expedited entry into Canada by land, air or water. Extra benefits for half the price (it especially pays off if you have young children since they're free with NEXUS but not Global Entry).

Unfortunately Amex refused to reimburse me for the $50 NEXUS application fee on my Platinum card. Kind of silly if you ask me, but I go to Canada often enough that the benefits over and above GE are worth it to me.

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Excellent point.  With two kids nowhere near old enough to be AUs on cards that would pay for their GE, it would be cheaper for my family of four who go to Canada about once a year to pay out-of-pocket for NEXUS.  Unfortunately, the interview locations are only on immediate border cities and in Canada, so for us it's GE unless we can coordinate an interview when there anyway.  It would be great to be able to use the NEXUS lanes both ways as we often spend a ridiculous amount of time getting back into the States.  Interestingly, one of my kids just got a passport renewed and there was a pamphlet that listed the various frequent flyer programs and clearly showed that NEXUS included both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry for a lower fee.

[Anonymous]

I may have admittedly missed this in skimming the thread, but it looks as if noone has mentioned the most glaring difference between the two programs - since Global Entry is designed to simplify the process of re-entry to the US, having a passport is a prerequisite to enrolling into Global Entry.  If you're strictly a domestic traveller sans passport, TSA Pre-check has a much lower bar of entry.

If you already have a passport, Global Entry is hands down the best choice, as it includes all the benefits of TSA Pre-Check plus quicker (much quicker) clearing of Customs.

Hope that $0.02 is helpful!

[sillykitty1]

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@-Cal- wrote:

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@sillykitty1 wrote:

I have Pre Check, and not Global Entry.  Although I agree Global Entry is a better option, there are some practical reasons to choose TSA Pre Check instead

The appointment dates are much further out for GE vs, TSA Pre.  I was able to get a TSA Pre appt within a couple of days, where as GE appointments are 8+ weeks out.  I travel for work and my schedule is far too unpredictable to know for certain I'll be in town & available.

There are many more TSA Pre locations, and they are far more convenient.  GE appt locations are at large airports, and border crossings.  While TSA PRe locations are in smaller airports and also random office complexes.  Living in SoCal my 2 GE locations are either LAX or at the border, south of San Diego.  My closest TSA Pre location was in a quiet office park about 5 miles from my home.

If you're traveling companion/s don't have GE, then it really negates any benefit you derive from it.  If I have TSA Pre and the other person does not, I still save the shoes, computer removal hassle.  There is also pretty good odds, my companion might be randomly selected for TSA Pre as well.  

I haven't found immigration lines long enough to regret not getting GE.  I've traveled 5 times internationally in the last year.  Not once would GE have saved me more than 15 minutes.  Maybe it's because 4 out of the 5 times, I've done immigration at LAX?

Lastly, IME, 90% of the time the Pre Check line is faster than the regular line.  The biggest problem I have with it, is it is full of "low risk travelers" who get randomly selected for Pre Check.  This slows down the process because low risk travelers are, children, older people, and infrequent traveler. Exactly the opposite of whom frequent travelers want to share a line with.

---

Here's my experience: 

While the appointment dates are farther out, there is a strategy to getting your interview sooner by calling in (not guaranteed). 

Not all GE enrollment centers are at large airports. For example, there is one at Long Beach. 

Companions traveling with me on domestic flights appear to always receive TSA Precheck regardless if they have GE/TSA Precheck. I believe it's YMMV when going through CBP. Alternatively, you can tell your travel companions to get the Mobile Passport app on their iPhone (or other devices) to breeze through customs. 

Regardless of who else is in PreCheck, it is ALWAYS better than going through the regular screening lines. 

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GE interviews in Long Beach, are you sure?  I don't see it on the official site?

http://usa.immigrationvisaforms.com/travel/global-entry-interview-locations

That would be amazing for me, since I live in LB

[Anonymous]

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@sillykitty1 wrote:

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@-Cal- wrote:

---

@sillykitty1 wrote:

I have Pre Check, and not Global Entry.  Although I agree Global Entry is a better option, there are some practical reasons to choose TSA Pre Check instead

The appointment dates are much further out for GE vs, TSA Pre.  I was able to get a TSA Pre appt within a couple of days, where as GE appointments are 8+ weeks out.  I travel for work and my schedule is far too unpredictable to know for certain I'll be in town & available.

There are many more TSA Pre locations, and they are far more convenient.  GE appt locations are at large airports, and border crossings.  While TSA PRe locations are in smaller airports and also random office complexes.  Living in SoCal my 2 GE locations are either LAX or at the border, south of San Diego.  My closest TSA Pre location was in a quiet office park about 5 miles from my home.

If you're traveling companion/s don't have GE, then it really negates any benefit you derive from it.  If I have TSA Pre and the other person does not, I still save the shoes, computer removal hassle.  There is also pretty good odds, my companion might be randomly selected for TSA Pre as well.  

I haven't found immigration lines long enough to regret not getting GE.  I've traveled 5 times internationally in the last year.  Not once would GE have saved me more than 15 minutes.  Maybe it's because 4 out of the 5 times, I've done immigration at LAX?

Lastly, IME, 90% of the time the Pre Check line is faster than the regular line.  The biggest problem I have with it, is it is full of "low risk travelers" who get randomly selected for Pre Check.  This slows down the process because low risk travelers are, children, older people, and infrequent traveler. Exactly the opposite of whom frequent travelers want to share a line with.

---

Here's my experience: 

While the appointment dates are farther out, there is a strategy to getting your interview sooner by calling in (not guaranteed). 

Not all GE enrollment centers are at large airports. For example, there is one at Long Beach. 

Companions traveling with me on domestic flights appear to always receive TSA Precheck regardless if they have GE/TSA Precheck. I believe it's YMMV when going through CBP. Alternatively, you can tell your travel companions to get the Mobile Passport app on their iPhone (or other devices) to breeze through customs. 

Regardless of who else is in PreCheck, it is ALWAYS better than going through the regular screening lines. 

---

GE interviews in Long Beach, are you sure?  I don't see it on the official site?

http://usa.immigrationvisaforms.com/travel/global-entry-interview-locations

That would be amazing for me, since I live in LB

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Yep, it's on the list - https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/enrollment-centers/california

[sillykitty1]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@sillykitty1 wrote:

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@-Cal- wrote:

---

@sillykitty1 wrote:

I have Pre Check, and not Global Entry.  Although I agree Global Entry is a better option, there are some practical reasons to choose TSA Pre Check instead

The appointment dates are much further out for GE vs, TSA Pre.  I was able to get a TSA Pre appt within a couple of days, where as GE appointments are 8+ weeks out.  I travel for work and my schedule is far too unpredictable to know for certain I'll be in town & available.

There are many more TSA Pre locations, and they are far more convenient.  GE appt locations are at large airports, and border crossings.  While TSA PRe locations are in smaller airports and also random office complexes.  Living in SoCal my 2 GE locations are either LAX or at the border, south of San Diego.  My closest TSA Pre location was in a quiet office park about 5 miles from my home.

If you're traveling companion/s don't have GE, then it really negates any benefit you derive from it.  If I have TSA Pre and the other person does not, I still save the shoes, computer removal hassle.  There is also pretty good odds, my companion might be randomly selected for TSA Pre as well.  

I haven't found immigration lines long enough to regret not getting GE.  I've traveled 5 times internationally in the last year.  Not once would GE have saved me more than 15 minutes.  Maybe it's because 4 out of the 5 times, I've done immigration at LAX?

Lastly, IME, 90% of the time the Pre Check line is faster than the regular line.  The biggest problem I have with it, is it is full of "low risk travelers" who get randomly selected for Pre Check.  This slows down the process because low risk travelers are, children, older people, and infrequent traveler. Exactly the opposite of whom frequent travelers want to share a line with.

---

Here's my experience: 

While the appointment dates are farther out, there is a strategy to getting your interview sooner by calling in (not guaranteed). 

Not all GE enrollment centers are at large airports. For example, there is one at Long Beach. 

Companions traveling with me on domestic flights appear to always receive TSA Precheck regardless if they have GE/TSA Precheck. I believe it's YMMV when going through CBP. Alternatively, you can tell your travel companions to get the Mobile Passport app on their iPhone (or other devices) to breeze through customs. 

Regardless of who else is in PreCheck, it is ALWAYS better than going through the regular screening lines. 

---

GE interviews in Long Beach, are you sure?  I don't see it on the official site?

http://usa.immigrationvisaforms.com/travel/global-entry-interview-locations

That would be amazing for me, since I live in LB

---

Yep, it's on the list - https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/enrollment-centers/california

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That is fantastic information ... thank you!  I'm about 10 minutes away from the LB location

Since I have both the Amex Plat and the CSR (and until recently the Ritz), it's not a hardship to get TSA Pre for expediency and GE when I can fit it into my schedule