Airport security lines in the United States have gotten longer. TSA data shows that passenger volumes at major US airports have continued climbing through 2025 and into 2026, with peak-hour wait times at hub airports regularly exceeding 30 to 45 minutes in standard screening lanes. For frequent travelers, that time adds up to hours lost across a year of trips. Both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry exist to eliminate most of that waiting, but they serve slightly different purposes and the choice between them matters.

The short version: if you only fly domestically, TSA PreCheck is sufficient. If you ever travel internationally, Global Entry is worth the modest extra cost because it includes PreCheck and adds expedited customs clearance when you return to the US. This guide explains both programs in full so you can decide which fits your travel pattern.

What Is TSA PreCheck?

TSA PreCheck is a trusted traveler program run by the Transportation Security Administration that lets approved travelers use dedicated low-wait security lanes at more than 200 US airports. PreCheck lanes typically have wait times under five minutes, even at peak periods, and they come with a meaningful set of reduced restrictions:

  • No removing shoes
  • No removing laptops from bags
  • No removing liquids from bags
  • No removing light jackets or belts
  • Dedicated shorter lane separate from the standard queue

These reductions in process steps account for most of the time savings. Standard lanes require multiple items to be removed and placed in bins; PreCheck lanes process you through a standard magnetometer without those steps, which is faster for both the traveler and the officer.

PreCheck does not guarantee access to the dedicated lane on every flight. Airlines must participate (over 85 airlines do, including all major US carriers), and your Known Traveler Number (KTN) must appear on your boarding pass. If you book through a third party or forget to add your KTN to a reservation, you may not have the PreCheck indicator on your boarding pass for that specific flight.

What Is Global Entry?

Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection program that provides expedited customs and immigration clearance when you return to the United States from international travel. Instead of queuing in a standard customs line that can take 30 to 90 minutes at busy international terminals, Global Entry members use automated kiosks that complete the customs declaration process in under two minutes.

Critically, Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck at no extra cost. The Known Traveler Number issued by Global Entry works across all PreCheck-enabled lanes and airlines. If you are choosing between the two programs and you travel internationally even once a year, Global Entry is almost always the better investment.

Global Entry currently works at over 75 US airports and select international pre-clearance locations in countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, and others. When returning through a Global Entry-enabled airport, you bypass the standard customs queue entirely and use the kiosk lane.

Cost and Membership Duration

TSA PreCheck costs $78 for a five-year membership, renewed at the same rate. Global Entry costs $100 for five years and includes full PreCheck access throughout the membership period. The cost difference is $22 over five years, or roughly $4.40 per year. For any traveler who takes even one international trip over five years, the Global Entry premium pays for itself in the first use.

Several premium travel credit cards reimburse the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee as an annual card benefit. The American Express Platinum Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Capital One Venture X all include a statement credit covering the full $100 Global Entry application fee. If you hold any of these cards, your effective cost for Global Entry is zero.

The Application Process

TSA PreCheck application process:

  1. Apply online at the TSA PreCheck website
  2. Schedule an in-person appointment at an enrollment center (over 400 locations nationwide)
  3. Attend the appointment: fingerprinting, identity document verification, brief interview (takes about 10 minutes)
  4. Receive your Known Traveler Number by email, typically within three to five business days
  5. Add your KTN to your frequent flyer profiles and airline accounts

Global Entry application process:

  1. Apply online through the Trusted Traveler Programs website (CBP)
  2. Pay the $100 fee (non-refundable even if denied)
  3. Wait for conditional approval, which currently takes two to six weeks in most cases
  4. Schedule an in-person interview at a Global Entry enrollment center, typically located in international airports
  5. Complete the interview: fingerprinting, passport and identity verification, questions about travel history
  6. Receive your KTN and Global Entry card, valid for five years

The Global Entry process takes longer than PreCheck because CBP runs a more thorough background check that includes international databases. Wait times for the interview appointment vary significantly by location. Major international airports like JFK, LAX, and O'Hare typically have available appointments within one to four weeks. Smaller locations may have shorter waits. Enrollment on arrival (interviewing at the kiosk during an actual return trip) is available at select airports and can shortcut the wait if your travel schedule allows it.

Who Gets Denied?

Both programs conduct background checks. Factors that can result in denial include:

  • Any criminal convictions, including misdemeanors
  • Customs or immigration violations
  • Providing false or incomplete information on the application
  • Outstanding warrants or pending criminal charges
  • CBP or TSA officer discretion based on the interview

The TSA PreCheck background check is less intensive than Global Entry and has a higher approval rate for applicants with minor historical issues. If you have any concerns about your background, TSA PreCheck may be the more appropriate choice to apply for first. The $100 Global Entry fee is non-refundable if denied, while TSA PreCheck charges $78 whether approved or not.

CLEAR: A Third Option Worth Understanding

CLEAR is a private identity verification service that operates lanes at over 50 major US airports and sports venues. Rather than replacing the security screening process, CLEAR verifies your identity using biometrics (fingerprint or iris scan) and moves you to the front of the ID verification queue before the actual security screening begins.

CLEAR costs $189 per year, significantly more than either government program. It is worth considering only in a narrow set of circumstances: frequent travel through a CLEAR-enabled airport where you consistently encounter long ID-check queues before the screening lane. CLEAR combined with TSA PreCheck is the fastest possible combination through US airport security, but the cost is only justified for travelers who fly frequently enough through CLEAR-enabled airports to experience regular queues in the ID verification stage.

CLEAR membership is often available at a discount through airline loyalty programs, credit card benefits, or professional associations. Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, and American Airlines AAdvantage all have partnerships that offer CLEAR at reduced rates for elite members.

Which Program Should You Get?

The decision is straightforward once you map your travel pattern against the program benefits:

  • You fly domestically only, once or twice a year: TSA PreCheck at $78 is likely sufficient. The five-year cost equals roughly $16 per round trip in time savings.
  • You travel internationally at least once every five years: Get Global Entry. It costs $22 more than PreCheck over five years and includes full PreCheck access while adding customs clearance benefits that can save 30 to 60 minutes per international return.
  • You hold a premium travel credit card: Get Global Entry. The $100 fee is reimbursed by the card, making it effectively free. There is no rational reason to get PreCheck-only if Global Entry is free through your card.
  • You fly frequently through major hub airports: Consider CLEAR in addition to Global Entry or PreCheck if you encounter consistent ID-verification queues at your home airport. American Express Platinum and select other cards also cover CLEAR membership.

Once you have your KTN, add it to every airline loyalty account you hold and to any booking profile you maintain on travel sites. The KTN must appear on your boarding pass to activate the PreCheck lane. Missing it means going through standard security even if you are a fully enrolled member.

How TSA PreCheck Saves You Time in Practice

The TSA reports that over 99 percent of PreCheck passengers wait less than five minutes in dedicated lanes. Standard security wait times at major hub airports during peak hours regularly run 20 to 45 minutes. For a traveler who takes 20 domestic round trips per year, the cumulative time savings from consistent PreCheck access is approximately 13 to 26 hours of standing in airport security lines per year. At that frequency, the $78 PreCheck fee is trivially small relative to the value of the time recovered.

The practical benefit is also qualitative, not just quantitative. Keeping shoes on, leaving a laptop in a bag, and walking through screening without staging and restaging items in bins is genuinely less stressful than the alternative. Frequent travelers consistently rate the reduced friction as one of the most tangible quality-of-life improvements available for the cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Global Entry include TSA PreCheck?

Yes. Global Entry membership includes full TSA PreCheck access. The Known Traveler Number issued with your Global Entry approval works in all PreCheck-designated lanes at all participating airlines. You do not need a separate PreCheck enrollment if you have Global Entry.

How long does Global Entry approval take in 2026?

Conditional approval after the online application currently takes two to six weeks in most cases. The in-person interview appointment wait time varies by location. Major international airports typically have appointments available within one to four weeks of conditional approval. Total processing time from application to receiving your KTN is typically six to twelve weeks when including both stages. Enrollment on arrival at select airports can compress this timeline if you return from an international trip before your scheduled interview.

Can non-US citizens get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry?

TSA PreCheck is available to US citizens and lawful permanent residents. Global Entry is available to US citizens, US nationals, and lawful permanent residents, plus citizens of select countries including Germany, Netherlands, Panama, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom through reciprocal agreements. Citizens of participating countries apply through their country's equivalent program. Check the CBP's international arrangements page for the current list of eligible nationalities.

What happens if TSA PreCheck does not appear on my boarding pass?

Add your Known Traveler Number to your airline profile and frequent flyer account. When booking flights, verify the KTN field is populated in your passenger details. If the indicator is still missing for a specific flight, contact the airline directly before your travel day. Note that not every ticket type displays PreCheck: some deeply discounted or partner-issued tickets may not pass through the KTN field correctly depending on how they were booked.

Is TSA PreCheck worth it if I only fly two or three times a year?

At two to three round trips per year over a five-year membership, the $78 PreCheck cost works out to roughly $5 to $8 per trip. The time savings per screening is 15 to 40 minutes on average at busy airports. Most travelers find that calculation strongly favors enrollment. The convenience benefit beyond pure time saving (no removing shoes, no unstaging laptops) adds further value that is harder to quantify but consistently rated highly by enrolled travelers.