TSA PreCheck vs Global Entry: which is worth it in 2026

The TSA PreCheck versus Global Entry decision is one of the few in travel where the data points hard in one direction — and most travelers still get it wrong. The summary is simple: Global Entry costs $35 more than PreCheck, automatically includes PreCheck, and is the right choice for nearly any US traveler whose passport will see use even once in the next five years. Here's what the official program data and community consensus say about why.

How we evaluated

This analysis draws on official U.S. Customs and Border Protection data covering fee structures, processing times, and enrollment requirements for both programs, multi-year community consensus from r/travel and r/IWantOut, and independent program analyses from The Points Guy and NerdWallet covering credit card fee reimbursement and enrollment friction. No first-hand testing was conducted. Every claim is sourced from publicly available data.

The verdict

Worth-It Score: 9.4 out of 10 — applied specifically to Global Entry. For any US traveler flying three or more times per year, Global Entry is the near-universal correct choice. The $35 premium over PreCheck-only buys international border-crossing speed that the community consensus describes in unambiguous terms: get Global Entry. PreCheck alone scores meaningfully lower for the marginal traveler because the upgrade math is so favorable.

The evidence

The fee math is the single most important data point

According to official CBP and TSA data, TSA PreCheck costs $85 for a five-year membership, and Global Entry costs $120 for the same five-year period. The difference is $35 over five years — roughly $7 per year. Global Entry membership automatically includes TSA PreCheck for domestic flights. There is no scenario in which a traveler benefits from buying PreCheck alone if they qualify for Global Entry and have any plausible chance of an international trip during the membership period.

This is the central finding, and it is the reason r/travel community consensus has been overwhelming and consistent for years: "always get Global Entry" appears in nearly every PreCheck-versus-Global-Entry thread on the subreddit.

Processing time data favors Global Entry meaningfully

CBP publishes processing time statistics for Global Entry kiosks and mobile app arrivals. According to those figures, roughly 96% of Global Entry members clear customs in under five minutes, with median times in the 60–90 second range when the kiosk lanes are not congested. Standard customs lines at major airports during peak international arrival windows routinely run 30–60 minutes, with outliers exceeding 90 minutes during summer travel peaks at JFK, LAX, MIA, and ORD.

For a traveler taking even one international trip during a five-year membership, the time savings on a single arrival often exceeds the entire $120 program fee valued at any reasonable hourly rate. The community consensus on r/travel cites this as the strongest argument: a single missed connection avoided more than pays for the membership.

Credit card reimbursement makes the decision nearly free

Independent analysis from The Points Guy and NerdWallet documents that dozens of credit cards now reimburse the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee as a standard travel benefit, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Capital One Venture X, the Amex Platinum, and most United and Delta cobranded cards. For a traveler holding any of these cards, the effective out-of-pocket cost of Global Entry is zero.

Community consensus on r/churning and r/travel is that travelers should not pay the $120 fee directly if they hold an eligible card — the reimbursement is a documented and widely used benefit.

Enrollment friction has dropped substantially

The historical objection to Global Entry was the in-person interview requirement, which previously meant scheduling appointments six months out at understaffed enrollment centers. According to CBP program updates, Enrollment on Arrival is now offered at most major US international airports, allowing approved applicants to complete the interview when returning from any international trip. Several major airports also offer walk-in slots.

This dramatically reduces the time cost of enrolling, which was the only meaningful argument left for choosing PreCheck-only. Community threads on r/travel from the last 18 months consistently report enrollment timelines of one to four weeks for travelers willing to use Enrollment on Arrival or accept appointments at less-busy centers.

Who it's best for

What it doesn't beat

Neither program beats CLEAR for raw security-line speed at airports where CLEAR has lanes — though CLEAR is a separate $189/year subscription that doesn't replace the customs benefit Global Entry provides. The optimal stack for frequent international travelers is Global Entry plus CLEAR, with both fees covered by the right credit card combination.

Global Entry also doesn't help travelers entering countries other than the United States. Programs like the UK Registered Traveller, Mexican Viajero Confiable, and Canadian NEXUS provide reciprocal benefits in their respective regions. NEXUS in particular is the better choice for any traveler who routinely crosses the US–Canada land border, and at $50 it includes Global Entry benefits as well.

For a traveler who is genuinely domestic-only and rejects the $35 upgrade math on principle, PreCheck remains a strong product — it scores well below 9.4 on its own merits but is still meaningfully better than no program at all.

Sources

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection — expert analysis — official program fee structures, processing time data, and Enrollment on Arrival documentation
• r/travel and r/IWantOut — community consensus — multi-year threads comparing PreCheck and Global Entry across travel patterns
• The Points Guy and NerdWallet — expert analysis — credit card fee reimbursement coverage and enrollment timeline reporting