Global Entry

[Chris]

There's an article in the New York Times this weekend by Seth Kugel, the "frugal traveler," about whether the Global Entry program is worthwhile. I haven't used mine yet, but I plan to give it a good workout over the next year or so.

 

[Colleen]

I've been enjoying the side benefit of TSA Pre-check for several months now, and am completely spoiled.

I'll be using the actual Global Entry piece on my return from Croatia (Venice, actually) next month. Fingers crossed all goes smoothly -- the agent had a hard time capturing my fingerprints from my sweaty hands!

 

[Chris]

I'm a little worried about the thumbprints. My arthritic thumbs won't bend in the direction they expect, so I did them from the side and she said to be sure to do it the same way... I can't remember now exactly how my hands were positioned, so I don't know how I'll do after 12 hours or so on an airplane. I'm looking forward to TSA Pre-check!

 

[Kathy]

We travel to Europe usually three times a year, but we decided not to invest in Global Entry for the same reasons he discussed in his article. Sometimes we travel with our daughter or other friends (and in March with my parents), so we would need to wait anyway. The lines at our entry points (usually Atlanta or Detroit) normally move fairly quickly and I think we've always gotten to the other side before our bags.

But I have to say I like the TSA Pre-check. I've gotten picked for this several times (including yesterday) and really do like it. I didn't realize it was possible just to buy this access. However, if more and more people sign up for this, won't those lines end up being long too? (Though I wouldn't mind a longish line if I didn't have to take things off and out... hate the hassle and stress of that!)

This was a good article Chris... thanks for posting!

Kathy

 

[Colleen]

I travel in the US regularly for work, and in my experience there are usually quite a few business travelers in the TSAPre line at major airports, but for the reasons you mention - leave laptop in its case, leave coat and shoes on - they move very quickly. I flew home from Seattle the other night and the regular TSA line was super long - I sure appreciated the quick and easy Pre access.

 

[Susie L]

I have really gotten spoiled with TSAPre as well. But I have never really had a problem with the lines when returning to SFO from Europe, so I have been hesitate to invest in Global Entry.

 

[Jan55612]

Like Colleen, I have applied for and received Global Entry approval, but my return from Croatia/Venice will be my first use for entry into the US. The cost is reasonable given the benefits, I think. When I return to the US through Minneapolis, it isn't really a big deal--the lines are not long, but I come back in through Chicago this time. I am looking forward to not having to wait in a long, long line. Plus, as others have noted, the TSA Pre-check is fabulous!
My fingerprints did not come out well despite several tries. The immigration agent told me I will probably have to go to an agent after the machine can't approve me. But, she said I still get a "go to the head of the line" privilege. We'll see how this works.

 

[KeithfromVA]

We'll have our first chance to use Global Entry this September, but we have friends who have used theirs and thought that it expedited the re-entry process significantly. Lines for both passport control and for customs can be quite long at Washington Dulles airport. The last time I re-entered, we moved fairly quickly throught passport control,picked up our bags, and then sat in a long line going through customs. I looked longingly at people whizzing by me in the Global Entry customs line, and we applied shortly thereafter. With respect to TSA Pre, on our last (domestic) flight at Dulles, the TSA Pre line was longer (I thought) than the regular line, but it moved much more quickly since it is almost exclusively experienced flyers who don't have to take off shoes, take out laptops, etc.

 

[ItalophileNJ]

I've enjoyed the benefit of the Global Entry: Lines at Newark can be very long and the combination of skipping the Passport Control line and going directly through customs was a real benefit to me last month. The TSA Pre line was also a great boon.

 

[Jan55612]

I used Global Entry for the first time this past week as I returned from our trip to Croatia and Venice. We entered through Chicago, where the lines for immigration were many and LONG. We used the Global Entry kiosk and found the directions very easy to follow. Of the three of us, only mine printed out with an indication that I needed to see an agent. Since I had been warned that my fingerprints hadn't come out well, I wasn't surprised. I was told to report to the head of a line and saw an agent within a couple of minutes. He stamped my printed form and I was done! Yippeee! We had to have our boarding passes for the next flight reprinted as we exited the customs area because the ones printed in Europe didn't have the TSA Precheck on them and we didn't want to face the regular security lines in Chicago. But, all-in-all, I was quite pleased with Global Entry and TSA Precheck.