Guide

TSA PreCheck or Global Entry: which one you actually need

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are both government trusted traveler programs, and both last five years, but they speed up different parts of a journey. PreCheck shortens the security checkpoint when you leave a US airport. Global Entry shortens the immigration and customs line when you come back into the United States, and it includes PreCheck. Which one you need depends mainly on how often you fly internationally.

Last verified 21 October 2026Source: TSA and US Customs and Border Protection

The short answer

If you fly only within the United States, or travel abroad once a year or less, TSA PreCheck is usually enough. If you travel internationally several times a year and are eligible, Global Entry is the better buy, because it covers the security checkpoint as well as the arrival. TSA itself suggests that people who travel internationally four or more times a year consider Global Entry instead of PreCheck, and CBP suggests that people who take fewer international flights consider PreCheck plus the free Mobile Passport Control app.

Side by side

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry compared, from the official TSA and CBP pages.
	TSA PreCheck	Global Entry
Run by	TSA	US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
What it speeds up	Security screening when departing US airports	Immigration and customs on arrival in the US, plus PreCheck screening
Membership	5 years	5 years
Cost	TSA says "$85 or less"; the price depends on the enrollment provider	$120 non-refundable application fee
Who can apply	US citizens, US nationals and lawful permanent residents	US citizens and permanent residents, plus citizens of a list of partner countries
Interview	In-person enrollment appointment (fingerprints and documents)	Interview required for first-time enrollment, at a center or on arrival
Typical wait	Most receive a number in 3-5 days; some take up to 60 days	Most applications reviewed within 2 weeks; some take 12 months or longer

How TSA PreCheck works

PreCheck is a screening benefit at the checkpoint. In a PreCheck lane you can generally keep shoes and light jackets on and leave laptops and 3-1-1 liquids in your bag. It does not change what you are allowed to carry: the container limit in our TSA liquids rule guide still applies.

Eligibility. TSA says its application program is open only to US citizens, US nationals and lawful permanent residents.
Enrollment. You apply online through one of three authorized enrollment providers, CLEAR, IDEMIA or Telos, then attend an appointment. TSA warns that these are the only authorized providers, so be wary of anyone else offering to enroll you.
There is no card. You receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN). You add it to every airline booking, and the airline prints a PreCheck indicator on the boarding pass. Without the indicator you cannot use the lane.
Renewal. Membership lasts five years and can be renewed through the provider you used.

How Global Entry works

Global Entry is about getting back into the country. Members use dedicated processing on arrival at participating US airports, and CBP lists TSA PreCheck access among its benefits. Your Global Entry membership number (the CBP PASSID) is what you enter as the Known Traveler Number on airline bookings.

Apply and pay the $120 fee through the Trusted Traveler Programs system. CBP says the fee is non-refundable, even if the application is denied.
Wait for the background check. CBP says 80% of applications are approved within two weeks, while some take up to 12 months or longer.
Complete the interview. First-time applicants who are conditionally approved must be interviewed, either at an enrollment center or through Enrollment on Arrival, which lets you finish the interview with a CBP officer when you land in the US from abroad. Bring your passport and a second form of identification.

Global Entry is not limited to Americans. CBP's eligibility page lists citizens of a set of partner countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, India and Australia, as well as Mexican nationals, and notes that additional requirements may apply depending on nationality. Applicants are refused for reasons such as criminal convictions, customs or immigration violations, or false information on the form.

Families and children

The two programs treat children quite differently, and this often decides the question for families.

PreCheck: children 12 and under can go through the PreCheck lane with an enrolled parent without anything on their own boarding pass. Teenagers aged 13 to 17 can join you only if the PreCheck indicator appears on their boarding pass, which happens when they are on the same reservation as an adult whose pass has the indicator. Leave the child's KTN field blank if they do not have one. A child on a separate reservation does not get PreCheck without their own number.
Global Entry: there is no minimum age, and every traveler who wants the arrival benefit needs their own membership, including children. CBP waives the fee for applicants under 18 when a parent or legal guardian is a member or has an application pending, and a parent or guardian must attend a minor's interview.

In practice, a family that flies abroad together regularly may find Global Entry for everyone worthwhile, because the children's applications cost nothing when a parent is enrolled. A family that mostly flies domestically can often rely on one or two adults holding PreCheck. For younger travelers flying on their own, see our page on children travelling alone.

Where NEXUS and CLEAR fit in

NEXUS is a joint US and Canada program run on the US side by CBP. CBP says members use dedicated lanes at northern border crossings, NEXUS kiosks when entering Canada by air, and Global Entry kiosks when entering the United States through Canadian preclearance airports. TSA accepts the NEXUS membership number as a Known Traveler Number. For people who cross between the two countries often, it is worth comparing directly with Global Entry.

CLEAR is a private company. It is one of the three authorized PreCheck enrollment providers, and it also sells its own identity-verification membership that moves you to the front of the checkpoint line at airports where it operates. That separate membership is not TSA PreCheck and does not replace it.

Making either one work on the day

Enter your Known Traveler Number in the airline booking, and check the name and date of birth match your membership exactly. If the indicator stops appearing, TSA suggests checking first that your membership has not expired, then that the details on the booking are correct.
Neither program replaces identification. You still need acceptable ID at the checkpoint; see ID requirements for US domestic flights.
Both are a benefit, not a guarantee. TSA can select members for standard screening, and CBP notes Global Entry members may still be referred for further examination.
Visitors entering the United States on the Visa Waiver Program use an ESTA rather than either of these programs; see our ESTA guide.

Common questions

Does Global Entry include TSA PreCheck?

Yes. CBP lists TSA PreCheck access as a Global Entry benefit. You use your Global Entry membership number (PASSID) as the Known Traveler Number on airline bookings.

How much do TSA PreCheck and Global Entry cost?

Global Entry has a $120 non-refundable application fee for five years. TSA says PreCheck costs $85 or less for five years, with the exact price set by the enrollment provider you choose.

How long does Global Entry approval take?

CBP says 80% of applications are approved within two weeks, while some take up to 12 months or longer. After conditional approval you still need to complete an interview, either at an enrollment center or on arrival in the US.

Can my children use my TSA PreCheck?

Children 12 and under can go through the PreCheck lane with you. Children aged 13 to 17 can join you if they are on the same reservation and the PreCheck indicator appears on their boarding pass. Anyone 18 or older needs their own Known Traveler Number.

Can UK citizens get Global Entry?

CBP lists citizens of the United Kingdom among the nationalities eligible for Global Entry, with additional requirements that depend on the country. TSA PreCheck enrollment, by contrast, is open only to US citizens, US nationals and lawful permanent residents.

Written by the Trailisse reservations team

Taken from TSA's PreCheck pages and FAQ and CBP's Global Entry, eligibility, Enrollment on Arrival and NEXUS pages, checked on the date shown above. Fees and processing times are set by the agencies and their providers and can change. Corrections welcome. See our editorial policy.

Sources

General information, not advice about your eligibility. Trailisse is an independent travel agency; TSA and CBP decide applications and set the fees.