No one enjoys wasting their time in long airport lines—especially when there’s an exciting vacation at the other end. Fortunately, programs like TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Clear, and Mobile Passport save travelers time and hassle at the airport.
TSA PreCheck and Clear allow travelers to go through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security lines faster before takeoff. After landing, Global Entry and Mobile Passport accelerate checks at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) international checkpoints. All four have their own designated lanes, but not all airports have all four programs.
If you’re unsure how TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Mobile Passport, and Clear differ, read on for an in-depth overview of how each program works.
What’s the difference between TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Clear, and Mobile Passport?
TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Clear, and Mobile Passport are all expedited screening programs that help you get through U.S. airport security checkpoints faster.
The main difference is that TSA PreCheck and Clear save you time at the initial TSA security screening before departure, while Global Entry and Mobile Passport speed up the process at customs after you return to the United States from an international destination. Global Entry costs $120 and includes TSA PreCheck. Meanwhile, TSA PreCheck on its own costs $77.95 at Clear enrollment locations, $78 at Idemia (a third-party enrollment center), and $85 at Telos (another third-party enrollment center). Both fees are often reimbursed or covered by travel credit cards, and the programs are valid for five years.
Clear, which relies on biometric technology to pre-verify ID checks, allows travelers to go directly to baggage screening at TSA checkpoints (though you’ll still need TSA PreCheck if you want to avoid the general security line altogether). Clear is also present at nearly 20 U.S. stadiums and event venues, such as Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and Citi Field in New York City, extending membership benefits beyond the airport. Clear costs $199 per year. And with the right credit card or frequent flier affiliation, you can score a free or heavily discounted annual membership.
If you’re not sure which one to buy, we recommend applying for Global Entry because you can enroll in TSA PreCheck at the same time. The only downside is that appointment times for Global Entry application interviews at larger, more trafficked airports can be hard to secure. Interview appointments for Global Entry at smaller airports or for TSA PreCheck only are much easier to schedule.
Meanwhile, travelers who use Mobile Passport don’t need to sign up for anything, nor does it require pre-approval. To use it, you must first download the app and fill out some information upon landing. However, not all airports participate in the service.
Finally, if your home airport is one of the dozens with Clear and you’re a frequent traveler, the program may be worth signing up for on top of Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. In our experience, though, the rapid growth and adoption of Clear are hindering its utility at many locations. It’s a victim of its own success: In some instances, waiting in the PreCheck or standard TSA line may be quicker than the Clear one.
TSA PreCheck overview
First implemented in 2013, TSA PreCheck is a way to screen travelers before they arrive at the airport and allow them access to expedited screening through security lanes in more than 200 airports. In TSA PreCheck lines, there’s no need to remove your shoes, belt, or light jacket. Liquids and electronics like tablets, big cameras, and laptops can also stay in your bag, saving travelers time and hassle. Children 17 and under can also go through the expedited line with a guardian who has TSA PreCheck.
How do you get TSA PreCheck?
To apply for a new TSA PreCheck membership, travelers must undergo a background screening and pay the $78 fee for five years of membership. To renew your membership online, the fee is only $70. Several low-fee credit cards, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card and Aeroplan credit card, will refund the application fee (but you need to be sure to pay for it with the card). This is typically a benefit you receive every four years. There are numerous global enrollment centers, most often at airports, and the fee is worth it for frequent travelers given the shorter lines and streamlined screening process.
How does TSA PreCheck work?
Once enrolled, you will be assigned a Known Traveler Number (KTN) that verifies your TSA PreCheck approval status. You can then add the KTN to your frequent flier accounts to make sure the number is applied every time you purchase an airline ticket. Alternatively, you can enter your KTN during the checkout process.
Most domestic airlines and a growing roster of international carriers participate in this program, but it only works on flights within or departing from the United States. (However, in 2022, the U.S. TSA announced that it had opened its first TSA PreCheck location outside of the United States at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas.) If you have successfully entered your KTN, the TSA PreCheck logo will appear on your boarding pass, which indicates that you are eligible for expedited screening through the PreCheck line at airport security.
If you’re approved for PreCheck but don’t see it on your boarding pass, ask an airline agent to try reentering your KTN or double-check that it has been entered through your airline’s app. Sometimes, the number doesn’t “stick” when the airline reservation is made.
Renewing TSA PreCheck
After five years, you can renew TSA PreCheck online. Simply fill out a form and pay the $70 fee for online renewals, ideally with a credit card that will reimburse you for it. Members will receive a letter when their KTN is about to expire, but you can also submit a Service Status form online.
Upon entering the United States, Global Entry members scan their passports at kiosks and bypass the regular U.S. Customs and Border Protection lines.
Courtesy of TSA
Global Entry overview
Global Entry is designed to provide expedited reentry into the United States by helping international travelers clear customs faster. It is available at more than 50 U.S. airports, costs $120 to apply, and is valid for five years.
If you are approved, Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck for no additional fee, so you don’t have to apply separately for it. Everyone who has Global Entry gets TSA PreCheck, but not everyone who has TSA PreCheck qualifies for Global Entry. As with TSA PreCheck, many credit cards provide fee waivers to cover the application fee for Global Entry.
How do you get Global Entry?
Global Entry has a thorough application process that involves a background check and in-person interview after preliminary approval. To schedule an in-person interview, you can book an appointment online—although many airports and government centers are experiencing long delays, and the next available appointment may be months out. Those who have been conditionally approved, however, can save time by getting an interview through the “enrollment on arrival” program—which is essentially a walk-in appointment available after landing in an international terminal at a participating airport.
Even after completing all the required steps, though, not everyone will be approved for the program. Those with a criminal history, for example, may not be approved for Global Entry. All Global Entry members must follow the rules and regulations of international travel, including being aware of what they are permitted to bring back to the country. Minor infractions, such as forgetting to declare a piece of fruit when reentering the United States, could result in the loss of Global Entry.
How does Global Entry work?
By having their faces biometrically scanned (and sometimes, answering questions at a Global Entry kiosk, depending on the airport), travelers bypass longer queues during the customs process and typically do not have to speak to an immigration officer.
Renewing Global Entry
Travelers can renew Global Entry online starting one year before expiration. Some people will have to be interviewed again.
Because CBP is experiencing a backlog of new and renewal applications, it is currently offering a two-year grace period for travelers whose Global Entry has expired. As long as you submit your application for renewal before it expires, the extension will allow you to use Global Entry for two years beyond its expiration date.
Clear overview
In addition to TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, a couple of other expedited screening options are worth noting, including Clear. This program is at more than 100 domestic airports, stadiums, and other venues. Instead of showing identification at the security checkpoint, facial recognition and fingerprint scans are used at the dedicated kiosks in participating airports. Using Clear, you sometimes can skip the process of showing identification, although, in our experience, the TSA agent will sometimes require secondary checks.
How do you get Clear?
The easy application process for Clear involves registering your fingerprints and iris (for the facial scan) along with your government-issued identification. You can register online or at an enrollment center, often found at airports, among other locations. Once your biometrics are in the system, you can start using the program the same day. It costs $199 per year.
How does Clear work?
Once the machine matches your identity with the boarding pass, a Clear agent will whisk you to the front of the security line. If you also have TSA PreCheck, you can take advantage of expedited TSA screening (keeping your shoes, belt, and light jacket on). If you don’t, you’ll go through the regular security protocol, just having bypassed the line.
However, with the rapid adoption of Clear over the past several years, many airport locations have suffered from long waits. It’s worth checking both the TSA PreCheck line and even the standard TSA line to see if the line is shorter before immediately jumping into the queue for Clear.
Mobile Passport overview
If you aren’t eligible for Global Entry or don’t want to go through the cumbersome application process, Mobile Passport is a helpful free app for speeding past customs at 52 sites, including at 48 airport locations and four seaports. Sometimes the lines for Mobile Passport at the immigration checkpoint are even shorter than the lines for Global Entry.
How do you get Mobile Passport?
There is no application process to sign up for Mobile Passport. You simply need to download the app (available for iOS and Android) and set up a profile in it, which you can do before your travel date.
How does Mobile Passport work?
Once you land after an international flight, the app asks you the standard customs questions and creates a unique QR code for you to scan when you talk to an immigration officer. All you need is a cellular or Wi-Fi connection to get the QR code; it only takes about one minute.
This article was published online in 2018. It was most recently updated on October 22, 2024, to include current information. Jessie Beck, Bailey Berg, and Chris Dong contributed to the reporting of this story.
