Mile High WeekFlying the “friendly skies” is often hell, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s Mile High Week, and we’re investigating everything flight-related, from how to score cheap tickets to the best time to book, from how to fall asleep on a long-haul flight to how to win the perennial war over armrests. Wheels up.You’ve seen the special lines at the airport: People just breezing on through routine security measures while you’re waiting behind a family of seven, an eighth-grade class trip, and at least a dozen otherwise fine people who seem to have never flown before. You are miserable. You consider throwing money at this problem.
How do you know if it’s worth it to spring for an expedited security screening service? Let’s run through your options and what it’ll cost you to keep your shoes on.
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TSA Precheck
TSA Precheck is a government program that provides expedited security screening at most U.S. airports. You won’t find plastic bins in your Precheck lane, because you don’t have to take off your shoes and belts. Your electronics and toiletries can stay in your bag, too.
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Cost: $85, paid when you apply
Lasts: 5 years
Requires a passport? No
Takes: 10 minutes in person to interview and get fingerprinted after filling out an online application.
Time it saves at the airport: A solid 10 minutes. At least.
TSA says that Precheck passengers typically spend fewer than five minutes in line for security, versus fewer than 30 minutes for everyone else. Last Thanksgiving, one of the most dreaded holidays to travel, for example, TSA reported that 95% of passengers nationwide waited fewer than 20 minutes to get through security, while 99% of Precheck passengers waited fewer than 10 minutes.
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It’s worth noting a major drawback to Precheck: Some airports only offer TSA Precheck during limited hours. You’ll need to check the websites for the airports you fly through most for details about availability.
Global Entry
This program is run by Customs and Border Protection, and instead of getting you to your departure gate quicker, it expedites your reentry into the U.S. Instead of having to complete a Customs Declaration form and wait in line to speak to an agent, you visit a kiosk to complete your reentry processing and show your receipt to an agent.
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Because the application for Global Entry includes the same security measures as TSA Precheck, paying for Global Entry also gets you access to Precheck.
Cost: $100, paid when you apply
Lasts: 5 years
Requires a passport? Yes
Takes: After filling out an online application and receiving a conditional approval notice, which takes two to three weeks, about 20 minutes to be interviewed and have your fingerprints and photo taken. Your Global Entry card arrives by mail a few weeks after that.
Time it saves at the airport: Lifehacker’s unofficial survey of travelers says anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour and a half.
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Since most Global Entry Enrollment Centers are located within airports, you may want to do your interview when you arrive on an international flight to save yourself a trip to the airport.
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Customs and Border Patrol also administers the SENTRI program, for people who travel frequently between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, for $122.50 (ground transportation only). The NEXUS program is for U.S.-Canada travel by air or ground, and costs $50. Access to both those programs lasts five years.
Clear
Clear is a privately run program. Instead of showing your ID and boarding pass at the security checkpoint, you scan your fingerprint or iris to confirm your identity. Then you’re escorted to the Precheck lane for physical screening. You can, however, get Clear without having PreCheck. It’s available in more than 50 U.S. airports.
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Cost: $179 per year
Lasts: As long as you keep paying for it
Requires a passport? No
Takes: 5 minutes to enroll online. Then, you finish your enrollment in person at a Clear location, with no appointment required.
Time it saves at the airport: A couple minutes if you also have Precheck, and up to a half hour if you don’t. But seriously, if you’re not willing to shell out the $17 per year for Precheck, why would you pay $179 per year for Clear?
Clear checkpoints are also available at some sporting event locations, in lieu of carrying a ticket, and for Hertz Fast Lane rental members. Use them all together the next time you take a trip to follow your favorite sports team, I guess.
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Precheck vs. Global Entry vs. Clear: Which should you get?
Customs and Border Patrol offers a questionnaire to help you figure out which expedited security program is best for you. The TL;DR is if you travel domestically twice or more per year, it’ll tell you to get Precheck; if you travel internationally twice or more per year, it’ll recommend Global Entry.
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Beyond what the government, which runs these programs and collects your money, recommends, it comes down to how you value your time. If you travel once in a blue moon, you probably won’t care much if you have to wait 20 minutes longer and put your shoes in the bin. But if you travel frequently enough to have gotten frustrated with any security line ever, consider this my vote in favor of getting at least PreCheck.
The additional $15 for Global Entry isn’t much of a deterrent if you’re already getting Precheck, but it can be more of a headache to get to a CBP interview center. If you’re on the fence about Global Entry, try the Mobile Passport app next time you travel internationally. It may be as much of a time-saver as Global Entry, according to Lifehacker staff experiences.
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So, what’s your time worth? Is it worth $17 per year? $20 per year? $199 per year if you spring for Global Entry and Clear?
I applied for Global Entry a few years ago when I decided I really wanted Precheck. I’m notorious for packing my bags extra sloppily and dreading the process of removing items from the duffel depths in the security line. But with a CBP interview spot just a few blocks from my apartment, I figured, why not spend a little extra?
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I take 6-10 round-trip domestic flights per year, and I consider the $20 per year it breaks down to for the ease and comfort of keeping my shoes on alone.
The latest, greatest credit card perk
As anyone who’s gotten free Global Entry will eagerly inform you, some travel-centric credit cards now cover the cost of your Precheck or Global Entry application.
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The TSA even lists credit cards that cover your Precheck application as a member benefit, whether by paying for it outright, reimbursing you, or allowing you to apply points to the application fee. If you already have Precheck or Global Entry, you can usually get your renewal covered, too.
That’s one reimbursement that adds fuel to the argument of keeping a credit card that charges an annual fee.
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