TSA pre check

[CDNPolar]

8 hours ago, ChrisB123 said:

We don't travel enough to want to bother with anything other than the pre check unfortunately. I just discovered that AAA has pop up interviews for the pre check at some of the local offices. One is less than 4 miles from where we live. 😁 How far in advance can you do the paperwork before the interview? It doesn't say on line. Thanks for all your answers. 

 

Please don't take offence to the statement that I am about to make, as I have seen others say the same thing, that they don't travel enough to bother...

 

As an extremely seasoned traveller who travels many times a year for both personal and professional reasons, even if I was only travelling once per year, I would pay for TSA Precheck, Global Entry, Nexus (Canada) as they so make your airport journey easier and faster and less hassle.

 

I am still amazed in Canada using Nexus (Similar to Global Entry) how few people are using this.  I walk past lines that are at least 30+ minute waits and I am through security in 2 minutes.  Coming home the same thing with immigration and customs.  I just don't get it.

 

But, we don't want everyone getting it or the waits would be for everyone.

[1982CruzStart]

On 1/21/2024 at 2:18 AM, CDNPolar said:

even if I was only travelling once per year, I would pay for TSA Precheck, Global Entry, Nexus (Canada) as they so make your airport journey easier and faster and less hassle.

I agree wholeheartedly with you on this. We used to travel more but now it ends up being only a couple of times a year and the $50USD every 5 years for Nexus is worth every penny. 

[ericosmith]

On 1/22/2024 at 12:08 PM, 1982CruzStart said:

I agree wholeheartedly with you on this. We used to travel more but now it ends up being only a couple of times a year and the $50USD every 5 years for Nexus is worth every penny. 

Not just the time saved but not having to take out the laptop or the liquids, keeping the shoes and jackets on and being in a line with people who mostly know what they are doing.  What's annoying though is those Clear people who keep cutting in line in front of you.  When considering the length of the line you have to take into account the fact that there are really two lines going to the same funnel in an airport with Clear.

[Critically Cruising]

Those CLEAR people paid for that privilege to "cut" the line.  Don't like it....sign up for it yourself.

[ericosmith]

22 hours ago, Critically Cruising said:

Those CLEAR people paid for that privilege to "cut" the line.  Don't like it....sign up for it yourself.

Nope, don't like the idea of paying for privilege.  At least not for the privilege of cutting in line.

[CDNPolar]

7 hours ago, ericosmith said:

Nope, don't like the idea of paying for privilege.  At least not for the privilege of cutting in line.

 

Well, all I can say is that for Canadians we have Nexus which is your Global Entry.  With Nexus in most Canadian airports, we don't cut in line, we have our own line that is 5 people vs. the 500 that are in the regular line for security.  

 

On arrival back in Canada, we have no line for customs and immigration and again the folks that choose not to buy into Nexus wait.

 

I think it is the same concept only we don't cut, we just have our own lines.

 

 

[Z'Loth]

On 1/23/2024 at 11:22 PM, Critically Cruising said:

Those CLEAR people paid for that privilege to "cut" the line.  Don't like it....sign up for it yourself.

 

As far as I can determine, CLEAR is $189 per year. Global Entry is $100 for five years ($20 per year), while TSA PreCheck is $78 for five years ($15.60 per year). Thanks, but no thanks to CLEAR. 

[ericosmith]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

Well, all I can say is that for Canadians we have Nexus which is your Global Entry.  With Nexus in most Canadian airports, we don't cut in line, we have our own line that is 5 people vs. the 500 that are in the regular line for security.  

It's not just Canadians that can get Nexus.  If you live someplace close to the border in the US you can get it also.  It's good in both countries with both Global Entry and PreCheck benefits at half the price. 

[*Miss G*]

13 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Well, all I can say is that for Canadians we have Nexus which is your Global Entry.  With Nexus in most Canadian airports, we don't cut in line, we have our own line that is 5 people vs. the 500 that are in the regular line for security.  

 

On arrival back in Canada, we have no line for customs and immigration and again the folks that choose not to buy into Nexus wait.

 

I think it is the same concept only we don't cut, we just have our own lines.

 

 

 

10 hours ago, ericosmith said:

It's not just Canadians that can get Nexus.  If you live someplace close to the border in the US you can get it also.  It's good in both countries with both Global Entry and PreCheck benefits at half the price. 

 

NEXUS is available to US and Canadian citizens, as well as legal permanent residents of both countries.  Living close to the border is not a prerequisite.

 

The NEXUS Pass includes Global Entry; so you get two for the price of one. 

[ericosmith]

3 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

NEXUS is available to US and Canadian citizens, as well as legal permanent residents of both countries.  Living close to the border is not a prerequisite.

I didn't mean to imply that it was a requirement.  My point (not well stated) was that the closest interview locations for US residents are in border cities.  Nexus wouldn't be very practical for someone living in Florida.

[*Miss G*]

9 hours ago, ericosmith said:

I didn't mean to imply that it was a requirement.  My point (not well stated) was that the closest interview locations for US residents are in border cities.  Nexus wouldn't be very practical for someone living in Florida.

 

I feel bad for saying this, but I was living in Florida at the time I got my first pass. I was a frequent traveler between the two countries.  Still am, although I am now in the Washington, DC area.

 

Edited January 26 by *Miss G*

[ericosmith]

Lol, ok, I'll go hide in the corner now.  You must have had a much easier time scheduling an interview than I did.  I'm curious how that is done since the interview is with both US and Canadian agents.  Is it at Canadian airports that have US clearance in place?

[CruiserBruce]

6 minutes ago, ericosmith said:

  Is it at Canadian airports that have US clearance in place?

I think the total is 21 airports worldwide have pre-clearance, including some Canadian airports. 

[*Miss G*]

37 minutes ago, ericosmith said:

Lol, ok, I'll go hide in the corner now.  You must have had a much easier time scheduling an interview than I did.  I'm curious how that is done since the interview is with both US and Canadian agents.  Is it at Canadian airports that have US clearance in place?

 

Scheduling was easy; it was the interviews which were bad.  Now it’s the reverse.

 

My first pass was back in 2007.  Interviewed at the Buffalo-Fort Erie Enrollment Centre.  The US and Canadian Officers are located in the same building.

 

First renewal; same thing.  Did have to keep logging in to check for cancellations, though.  Lucked out and scored a closer date.

 

Second renewal; interview also required.  But this was at the time of the huge backlog due to COVID shutdown so nowhere to interview.  Approximately a year later, they revised the status to approved and sent me the new card.  I guess they were trying to clear the backlog and finally decided I wasn’t worth interviewing.

 

Who knows what will happen with the next renewal.  

[1982CruzStart]

On 1/26/2024 at 9:44 AM, *Miss G* said:

 But this was at the time of the huge backlog due to COVID shutdown so nowhere to interview.  Approximately a year later, they revised the status to approved and sent me the new card.  I guess they were trying to clear the backlog and finally decided I wasn’t worth interviewing.

Same thing happened to me. I booked an interview which required a round trip of about 8 hours and an overnight stay but before the date for the interview I received notice that the renewal was approved and they automatically canceled the appointment. 

[6rugrats]

I've never had to have an interview for a renewal.

[*Miss G*]

4 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

I've never had to have an interview for a renewal.

 

[Z'Loth]

On 1/27/2024 at 12:23 PM, 1982CruzStart said:

I booked an interview which required a round trip of about 8 hours and an overnight stay but before the date for the interview I received notice that the renewal was approved and they automatically canceled the appointment. 

 

YEOWCH! I never applied for Global Entry while in California because the nearest interview center was at SFO which would have been a all-day affair from Sacramento. When I moved to DFW, my mother and I had the interview at DFW which was 35 minutes away... in September, 2019. 

[NMTraveller]

On 1/16/2024 at 3:51 PM, ChrisB123 said:

We don't travel much out of the USA so global entry wouldn't be worth it. TSA precheck might if it shortens the time in line. 

If you get TSA precheck,  you might as well pay the extra 10 dollars to get global entry if you fly out of the US at all.  Global entry is a blessing.

 

Depending upon which credit cards you have,  one of your credit cards may reimburse you for the cost.

 

 

Edited February 18 by NMTraveller