Global Entry - what are you thoughts?

I'm interested in hearing from other travelers who have gone through the Customs and Border Patrol Program that offers expedited clearance for pre-approved, low risk travelers. Do you think it is worth the cost? Does it really save time?

Any thoughts are welcome!

Worth every penny, particularly the more you fly, both domestically (for Pre Check) and internationally, for Global Entry. There are a few lesser known benefits, like shorter security lines in some locations as a "Known Traveler", the international term for programs like Global Entry. We just flew home from Munich two weeks ago, they could see we are "Known Travelers" from our flight record (tied to our frequent flyer account), and security was a breeze. The line at Immigration at SFO was huge...probably at least 30 minutes wait, perhaps more. We were driving home in less than 30 minutes. Save tons of time.

Many discussions around Cruise Critic on Global Entry. Have yet to hear anyone say they thought it a waste of time and money.

Worth every penny!! We love Pre-Check and being TSA approved. Saves a lot of time. Re-entering the USA is a breeze. Saves on the lines and luggage checks.

Go for it!

Yes! Because we had Global Entry this June we sailed thru Canadian and US Immigration in Vancouver at the airport and the cruise port (Canada Pier). And we LOVE Pre-check. It was the best $100 per person we've spent. Only downside is that we still have to wait for our checked luggage at the airport. If only that too received priority!

The chase sapphire reserve credit card pays for your global entry enrollment as a perk.

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Thanks for the info! We have been lucky that last several times flying on Jet Blue that we have got 'pre check' on our boarding pass but I'm thinking that maybe I shouldn't rely on 'luck'! :p

It is underpriced

While everyone seems to think it is worthwhile, it really depends on how often you are out of the country, and how you arrive back into the country. If you only leave the country on a cruise, or if you only fly in every couple of years, Global Entry is a waste of money. Entry through the ports is easy, and at this time only FLL even uses Global Entry. You can't use it an any other ports.

If you fly a lot a much easier solution is to apply to the trusted traveler program. It gets you precheck, which is what you really want it to do. If you fly into the country three or four times a year Global Entry is worth the trouble, or if you live near a location that does the in face interviews.

While everyone seems to think it is worthwhile, it really depends on how often you are out of the country, and how you arrive back into the country. If you only leave the country on a cruise, or if you only fly in every couple of years, Global Entry is a waste of money. Entry through the ports is easy, and at this time only FLL even uses Global Entry. You can't use it an any other ports.

 

 

If you fly a lot a much easier solution is to apply to the trusted traveler program. It gets you precheck, which is what you really want it to do. If you fly into the country three or four times a year Global Entry is worth the trouble, or if you live near a location that does the in face interviews.

You can use it sailing out of Vancouver, as you are re-entering the US.

GE is a steal at $100 (even a single international flight in the 5 years the card is valid makes it worth the extra $15 compared to TSA Pre given how long int'l arrivals queues can get!). NEXUS though is half the price for the same benefits and more, so is an even better deal if you can make it to an interview centre conveniently - those dedicated border lanes save us dozens of hours queue time every single year!

Plus sometimes it's handy having a wallet-size card that proves citizenship and identity (same as Passport Card but better), and being able to flash an ID that proves you passed a criminal background check can also be occasionally useful - I've been able to avoid paying for additional checks for volunteer gigs for example, which would normally be reimbursed by the charity so that saves them some cash.

GE is a steal at $100 (even a single international flight in the 5 years the card is valid makes it worth the extra $15 compared to TSA Pre given how long int'l arrivals queues can get!). NEXUS though is half the price for the same benefits and more, so is an even better deal if you can make it to an interview centre conveniently - those dedicated border lanes save us dozens of hours queue time every single year!

 

Plus sometimes it's handy having a wallet-size card that proves citizenship and identity (same as Passport Card but better), and being able to flash an ID that proves you passed a criminal background check can also be occasionally useful - I've been able to avoid paying for additional checks for volunteer gigs for example, which would normally be reimbursed by the charity so that saves them some cash.

Isn't NEXUS only for travel between the US and Canada?

I've only used the GE part of it once (soon twice), and it was nice. The only downside was that I got through well before any of our luggage had unloaded and had to wait. As my bag was one of the earliest ones to be loaded, I ended up being the first one at the carousel and one of the last to get my bag. SIGH. Still, there are worse problems to have. (Obviously, a lot of people who are spending the money for GE are also paying for priority status! I'm not one of them.)

Anyway, the TSA PreCheck part of it is totally worth it if you fly domestically, so it really boils down to whether it's worth spending a bit more for the international part. I think it is, but that's me.

I know that the US has a reciprocal program with Korea (I would go through their version of GE if I flew there, and vice versa), and I'd love to see that expanded to other countries. Of course, it creates an increasing socioeconomic divide in travel, but honestly, with the huge volume of flyers, it's needed.

Little sidenote: If you get a Chase Reserve card, they pay the GE fee for you.

In a word, YES.

I guess it really depends on how often you travel. Well worth it for us.

We fly and /or cruise only a few times a year, yet I believe every dollar spent and the interview time to obtain GE is well worth it.

I believe it is very much worth the cost. It was $100 and it is good for 5 years.

That is $20 a year and worth it not to stand in the lines even if you only travel once a year.

I wonder how many people would pay $20 the day of travel to not stand in those lines; my guess is most!

Safe sailing! :)

I believe it is very much worth the cost. It was $100 and it is good for 5 years.

 

That is $20 a year and worth it not to stand in the lines even if you only travel once a year.

 

 

 

I wonder how many people would pay $20 the day of travel to not stand in those lines; my guess is most!

 

 

 

Safe sailing! :)

My last two cruises from the U.S., disembarking in San Juan and in Bayonne, there were porters standing around. A $20 tip bought us quick passage around the lines. And meanwhile our fellow cruisers were standing grumbling in long lines.

We also have the Global Entry cards and are pleased to take advantage of that where we can.

Isn't NEXUS only for travel between the US and Canada?

They are both definitely worth it the cost and time. They have saved me a couple of times during tight connections.

Last year we returned to Fll from a transatlantic. Easily a thousand lined up on each side of the terminal. Down the center was the global entry line. I think we had 2 families in front of us. It is under priced.

Yes, but for Canadians NEXUS includes enrollment in Global Entry.

 

They are both definitely worth it the cost and time. They have saved me a couple of times during tight connections.

The graphic below is from a Detroit paper a couple of years ago. Note that Nexus provides every advantage as Global Entry, at lower cost...

[sorry! Graphic didn’t make it through...]

I didn’t quite believe them, and went for Global Entry. When doing the Interview, the CBP person advised that, when time for renewal, we do Nexus instead and save money...

Some frequent flyer programs allow you to use points for GE or TSA Pre-check.

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We've seen it actually vary now because of so many people signing up for it...On our recent Asia incoming flight into Seattle the GE line was longer than the regular line.

Isn't NEXUS only for travel between the US and Canada?

The NEXUS-only benefits are just for US-Canada border, yes, but it also has full GE and TSA Pre benefits. There's really just the one downside, finding a convenient interview location as both CBP and CBSA officials need to be on-site - so for Canadians it's a no-brainer (with ~90% of us living very close to the border) but for US residents you need to be in a border state or able to synchronize a visit to a location with NEXUS interviews together with other travel plans (I recall one person on these boards who used a cruise out of Vancouver, went for their interview during their pre-cruise stay, and know other folks who have just added a longer connection in an airport that offers the interviews).

Edit - like Ashland, every now & again we see that the queues look longer for Trusted Travelers (NB: that processing time per person is usually shorter, so the TT queue needs to be a lot longer before you're actually quicker using the Joe Q Public queue). We've once each at the land border and at YVR skipped the 'short' queue for the normal queue because there was literally a border agent waiting in the latter whereas we'd have had to wait a couple of minutes in NEXUS line.

We used GE both at Canada Place and leaving Canada at Vancouver Airport.

If we traveled a lot for work, it might be of some value. Otherwise, we don't see the need as we have never missed a flight due to long lines, etc.

Not quite are worthwhile as before. As they there are typically not the long lines at customs clearance after getting your bags.

But still worth it. And remember, it includes TSA Pre-check. So $85 for Pre-Check or $100 for GE? :D