Global Entry & PreCheck

[Alaskanb]

I usually travel United and they have a way to link the GE to your Frequent flier account.

With GE you are issued a Known Passenger (maybe it's Traveller) number that you can connect to certain Frequent Flier accounts. We have done so for American and United. The airlines share that with the TSA.

Also there are more GE processing centers that initially show up on their website. We found one listed in El Paso once we were ready to arrange for our interviews. I think we submitted our apps on-line on a Sunday, heard back mid week to arrange the interview , then set a convenient interview date (again on-line) for the following week.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Alaskanb

[TruckerDave]

I just got home 15 min ago from IAH and my Global Entry interview. I am entering my Known traveler number into my UA and AA profiles on another window as i type this. It was pretty quick and easy process. Watched a video, took my picture and fingerprints, verified my address and asked a couple questions and that was it. Total time with C/I personal 15 min tops.

[TruckerDave]

One other quick tip about GE.

 

It is good for 5 years starting at your NEXT birthday. That means if you get it just after your birthday it is valid for almost 6 years. Basically you get from whenever you get approved until your next birthday free. My birthday was last month and my GE is good until Jan 2020 because the 5 year clock doesn't start until next HJan. Had I got it in Dec it would have expired in Jan 2019. :D

[waterbug123]

Having GE will give him the benefits of the TSA PreCheck program. Now, be aware that it is not a guarantee that you get the PreCheck line every time you go through the dog-and-pony show - it just puts in the lottery for the chance of getting picked.

 

Actually, with GE you have much more than a lottery type chance of getting picked; you are automatically PreCheck eligible unless you are randomly picked NOT to go through it. I've had GE for several years now, fly an average of twice a month, and have been Pre-Check eligible all but once in that time period. Usually when someone with GE is repeatedly not getting PreCheck it turns out to be that their passenger redress number is not properly linked to their airline account or something like that.

[slidergirl]

It's still a lottery. GE holders are not guaranteed to receive PreCheck every time they visit a PreCheck-enabled airport. Whether you are in the lottery to be approved or in the lottery to not get the beeps, it's still rolling the dice.

 

And, I say this as having never been denied PreCheck entry at any airport I've been to with PreCheck. Well, barring my pre-May2013 travels out of the country when you weren't eligible if you were doing an international flight...

[waterbug123]

It's still a lottery. GE holders are not guaranteed to receive PreCheck every time they visit a PreCheck-enabled airport. Whether you are in the lottery to be approved or in the lottery to not get the beeps, it's still rolling the dice.

 

And, I say this as having never been denied PreCheck entry at any airport I've been to with PreCheck. Well, barring my pre-May2013 travels out of the country when you weren't eligible if you were doing an international flight...

 

Correct, and I didn't say it was guaranteed. But having GE is far better odds than just "rolling the dice," i.e. being put in the pull to be randomly drawn. I'd much rather be IN the pool unless I'm randomly drawn NOT to be in it, than to not be in it unless I'm randomly draw TO be in it. Make sense?

 

Both your experience and mine show that if you have GE, you are pretty darn likely to be PreCheck approved nearly every time. :)

[ducklite]

I have Global Entry and PreChek (brought into the program by my carrier due to FF) but also have Clear which in airports with that, it's the best option as you almost always get funneled into the trusted traveler security check and by pass shoes off, computer out, etc.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[MADflyer]

I have had GE quite a while. I had issues that my Pre-Check was not showing up for a while and as everything was correct with the airline, no-one could figure it out. Turned out that my GE had not been activated correctly following the interview. Returning to an interview center and with the click of the button, it has worked perfectly since then.

 

Another thing I have learned is that when entering the country with GE, Pre-check is then not available if same-day connecting domestically. (At some airports you have terminal change land-side, not airside.)

 

When leaving the country pre-check is displayed for the flight connecting to the international flight for outbound.

 

When I overnighted on a connection from Panama at IAH, Pre-check was displayed for the domestic segment to IAD, that then connected to my international flight.

 

Sure would have liked to have GE active at Port of Miami as had a real bad

b2b situation where they would not let me into the US and would not let us back on ship. If I would have had it, I would not have had the 'people' factor that messed this all up. I was stuck standing for over 2 hours.

[PaulMCO]

Another thing I have learned is that when entering the country with GE, Pre-check is then not available if same-day connecting domestically. (At some airports you have terminal change land-side, not airside.)

 

.

 

That is not correct. I have many times traveled that way and always connect domestically. I have used precheck to reconnect at ORD, EWR, IAH and others. Most recent flights from EZE to IAH both my wife and I both had precheck stamped on our domestic BP's.

 

At IAD from customs at the C/D terminal there is no pre-check lane.

 

However I have found that some BP's printer overseas don't show the precheck. If you do a reprint from the kiosk -- it will give you the precheck logo.

[goodml]

We are Canadians living near the Windsor/Detroit border and have had Nexus (another trusted traveler program) for several years now. While it is a rigorous process initially to get approved it has been more than worth it as we cross the border multiple times per month. A year or so ago we also became eligible for TSE-Pre and on Delta and United we've been selected on all but one occasion. What a great program. Here's hoping we get that little TSE-Pre checkmark on our boarding passes again this Wednesday!

[Jinn]

On my recent international trip I used Pre-check and Global Entry for the first time and both were great. At my home airport I went through the Pre-check line. On my reentry into the USA at DFW there were people at the Global Entry kiosk who helped anyone needing help. Very quick, which was good because I had a tighter-than-I-like connection. After I got my luggage and put it back on the belt, I went through security again where there was a Pre-check line with no one in it. Again, very quick. Love it. Julia

[klfrodo]

Have has GE and TSA Precheck for a while now.

 

Something new I just experienced the other day.

My mobile boarding pass clearly had "TSA Precheck" noted. When I got to the ID check station, I put my phone on the scanner,,,,,, and it only beeped once.

I was routed thru the normal process.

After I cleared TSA, I spoke with the TSA supervisor to get a better understanding of what happened.

He stated that even though your boarding pass has marked you as approved to utilize the TSA Precheck line,,, the final approval is based upon the boarding pass scanner. No double beep,,,,, back to the end of the line.

[frugaltravel]

Have has GE and TSA Precheck for a while now.

 

Something new I just experienced the other day.

My mobile boarding pass clearly had "TSA Precheck" noted. When I got to the ID check station, I put my phone on the scanner,,,,,, and it only beeped once.

I was routed thru the normal process.

After I cleared TSA, I spoke with the TSA supervisor to get a better understanding of what happened.

He stated that even though your boarding pass has marked you as approved to utilize the TSA Precheck line,,, the final approval is based upon the boarding pass scanner. No double beep,,,,, back to the end of the line.

 

It is actually a triple beep, and ask you noticed, even though you might have TSA PreCheck printed on the boarding pass, there are some random instances where it is not approved at the airport. This helps to keep the "randomness" of the program.

[SadieN]

There is a problem with the Global Entry kiosks.

The camera is calibrated for those over 5'1". DD needs to stand on her toes to use it.

[Randyk47]

Another happy traveler....well as happy as one can be flying nowadays....with my recent Global Entry enrollment. I actually wanted PreCheck but there is no local enrollment office, the closest is a 200 mile round trip. Kind of put me off for awhile as my wife has PreCheck through being a DoD Federal employee and she was sailing through TSA security while I'd often have to go through the longer lines and full screening. Probably a blinding glimpse of the obvious but I did notice that there was a Global Entry enrollment office locally and that you'd get PreCheck if you enrolled in Global Entry. Now Global Entry cost $100 and PreCheck $85 but, in my case, I'd easily spend $15 in gas for the round trip to the nearest PreCheck enrollment office. Mrs. K is now even considering Global Entry as while she has PreCheck she doesn't have expedited passage through Immigration and Customs for our trips so she'd be in the situation where I'd be in the short line and she'd be in the regular line when returning to the US. Unfortunately her DoD Known Traveler Number only works for PreCheck and not Global Entry so she'll have to go through the whole enrollment business but we're thinking it might be worth it.

[BridgeMates]

I don't know why but on two RT flights to and from DFW to SFO on United, I was assigned the Precheck. Have never applied for anything. Asked the TSA agent if he knew why I was so lucky. He said they'll give it to you for awhile and then it will stop. Then they'll want me to pay for it. It was nice but I don't fly domestic too often and if you're flying with someone who doesn't have it, you'll have to wait for them anyway.

[Randyk47]

I don't know why but on two RT flights to and from DFW to SFO on United, I was assigned the Precheck. Have never applied for anything. Asked the TSA agent if he knew why I was so lucky. He said they'll give it to you for awhile and then it will stop. Then they'll want me to pay for it. It was nice but I don't fly domestic too often and if you're flying with someone who doesn't have it, you'll have to wait for them anyway.

 

PreCheck is really nice for frequent flyers, especially ones who go in and out of the larger US airports where security lines can be longer. Though the airlines and TSA are supposedly cutting back on randomly giving out PreCheck for nonenrolled passengers some are still getting it as a "try it, you'll like it". Actually, just to be clear, you don't enroll with or through an airline. PreCheck enrollment is either through TSA for just that specific benefit or through one of CBP's trusted traveler programs that has PreCheck as an included benefit. Since a lot of my travel is with my wife it's nice we now both have PreCheck but she needs to enroll in Global Entry so we both have that for our foreign travel.

[TruckerDave]

These days (If you have any kind of priority access, or flying on a first/biz class ticket) you almost have to check all three lines...Pre-check, regular and priority access. The Pre-check is not always the shortest. A couple weeks ago the pre-check line in Boston was longer than the priority access line. :eek: These days I just check all three before making my choice.

[Randyk47]

These days (If you have any kind of priority access, or flying on a first/biz class ticket) you almost have to check all three lines...Pre-check, regular and priority access. The Pre-check is not always the shortest. A couple weeks ago the pre-check line in Boston was longer than the priority access line. :eek: These days I just check all three before making my choice.

 

It may be a space issue but locally they seem to have done away with the priority access line. A further complication here is that San Antonio is one of the few airports that have Clear which is a commercial fee-for-service form of PreCheck. How they stay in business beats me as I rarely see anybody in the Clear lane but it does take up space at the security checkpoint. I do agree though that it's good to watch lines and see which one is moving along though not having to take everything out or off in the PreCheck line is attractive even if the line is longer.

[ducklite]

It may be a space issue but locally they seem to have done away with the priority access line. A further complication here is that San Antonio is one of the few airports that have Clear which is a commercial fee-for-service form of PreCheck. How they stay in business beats me as I rarely see anybody in the Clear lane but it does take up space at the security checkpoint. I do agree though that it's good to watch lines and see which one is moving along though not having to take everything out or off in the PreCheck line is attractive even if the line is longer.

 

Clear is ALWAYS the shortest line, if you have it. With Clear, even in Orlando you can be through security in two minutes. From the minute I walk into the terminal until I board the plane is 20 minutes at MCO. I have to plan on 30-35 with PreCheck only.

[Randyk47]

Clear is ALWAYS the shortest line, if you have it. With Clear, even in Orlando you can be through security in two minutes. From the minute I walk into the terminal until I board the plane is 20 minutes at MCO. I have to plan on 30-35 with PreCheck only.

 

My personal problem with Clear is that it costs $15 a month and there are only 9 airports nationwide that have it. Sure one is San Antonio which is my "home" airport but typically, because it is a relatively small airport, the PreCheck lines are not all that long. The other Clear airports are not ones I fly out of frequently.

[Brighton Line]

Was just at JFK T8 (American) and they only had two lines open. Standard and PreCheck. They were sending overflow from the standard line to the precheck so the precheck was pretty long line to get through.

TSA was also testing by swabbing everyone's hands while in line to get to the document check. They had two machines rolled out next to the line and two agents swabing everyone's hands. No random pick, everyone in line was tested.

Just made pre-check that much longer.

[PaulMCO]

Clear is ALWAYS the shortest line, if you have it. With Clear, even in Orlando you can be through security in two minutes. From the minute I walk into the terminal until I board the plane is 20 minutes at MCO. I have to plan on 30-35 with PreCheck only.

 

 

Agree... Also not all airlines offer precheck. Just flew Virgin out of MCO. My DW took 20 minutes and I breezed through in under 5 with CLEAR.

[Randyk47]

Just an update on the TSA security line shuffle here in San Antonio, at least in the smaller Terminal B. As of Monday they'd reinstated the priority line for first/business class and advanced frequent flyer passengers. Of course it's kind of a zoo now as you have the regular line, the PreCheck line, the priority line, and the Clear line all in a relatively small area. It's all signed appropriately but it's still confusing enough that I watched many people get into the wrong line. Credit to the two or three people manning the Clear line as they politely helped people get into the right line as TSA didn't have an agent out front helping sort folks out while we were there. Even though we've enrolled and paid for Global Entry, which has PreCheck as a benefit, I think we'd consider Clear if it were more available at airports we frequent. After expanding too quickly and having to file bankruptcy a few years ago Clear seems to have resurrected itself so maybe it'll stay around. We'll see......

[Zach1213]

Agree... Also not all airlines offer precheck. Just flew Virgin out of MCO. My DW took 20 minutes and I breezed through in under 5 with CLEAR.

 

Then you have the case of my local airport, Kansas City, where basically (not totally, but basically) each airline has its own security checkpoint. Some do Pre-Check, some don't. I am an AA frequent flier and fly them 95% of the time out of KC. They have "quasi-PreCheck", in that I don't have to take off my shoes, but that's about the only perk. It's a bit ridiculous, but security lines are never long here.