TSA pre check or Global Entry

[poohfan]

Planning a few trips this year including WDW. We mainly travel domestic and I'd like the opinion of anyone with either TSA precheck or Global Entry. I want the one that I'll get the better chance of getting PreCheck. I read that Global Entry doesn't guarantee getting precheck but eligibility for precheck is included. But I'd rather pay $85 for TSA precheck and get it more often than pay $100 and not get it as often. But if my chances of getting TSA precheck is the same then it seems the better deal is Global Entry for $100.

 

[bumbershoot]

I cannot remember a time DH did not get Pre when we make sure his GE number is on his checkin. On some airlines that means we have to actually enter it in, not just have it in his frequent flyer profile.

 

[alliecat523]

If you get Global Entry, you automatically get PreCheck. If you're mainly flying domestically, you're better off just getting PC rather than GE. For GE you need to go to a major international airport for the interview which may or may not be an issue (I had to drive 2 hours to ORD, but it was worth it for me and my travel).

To get PC, you need to enter your PASSID when checking in online. This will give you PC on your boarding pass. If checking in at the airport, you need to let the agent know and show proof of your PC. Sometimes there are errors and it does not print on your boarding pass. If you let the agent know at the ticket counter, they can re-issue the boarding pass. The only place we ever seem to have an issue with this is MCO (go figure). I've never had a probably getting PC out of my home airport or on any of my other returns. If you have an account with the airline, you can log in and enter your PC info and it will automatically add it to your check in without you having to re enter your PASSID each time.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have TSA PreCheck. I enter it with any airline that I fly. It's now in my FF area with about 5 or 6 airlines. Then, I just forget about it. I have never had to show 'proof' of precheck. It should come up automatically when booking a ticket if the airline has your number on file. Other than carry around the letter I got telling me that I now have PreCheck, I can't imagine how I would 'prove' it to anyone.
Now....it's good to understand that you may not get PreCheck every single time. It doesn't happen often, but it can. There can be random situations, or your airport doesn't have TSA PreCheck...the smaller airport close to me doesn't offer that.
Do I think it's worth it? If you fly more than twice a year, it's probably worth it. I wouldn't pay for Global Entry unless you're flying internationally, several times.

 

[ashleyrm]

I have TSA precheck and think it's the best $85 I ever spent. I fly mostly Southwest and have always gotten TSA pre on all my flights. On one occasion in Fort Myers there was no TSA line open as it was very early morning. For MCO, its awesome to have. On one of my last trips, the "regular" screening lines were taking over an hour and I literally walked through the TSA line.

 

[supersnoop]

The pre-check benefit of Global Entry is the same as the "regular" pre-check.

My credit card offered to reimbursed the cost for either option, so I chose the more expensive one.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If you think you might fly internationally even once in the next five years, go for Global Entry.

 

[bumbershoot]

Now, if you cruise, apparently at least one port (for the life of me I cannot recall which one) now has a GE line coming back to the US. Which is pretty cool. So it doesn't just have to be flying internationally to make GE worth it.

 

[TXMemaw]

We have had GE for about a year and a half. We do fly quite a bit and have taken several trips out of the country and GE was so nice to have at passport control. We have always had the PC since getting our GE numbers. We do live in a border community so we were able to do our interviews at the local Customs and Border Patrol office.

 

[supersnoop]

My wife and I each have Global Entry, but our 12 year old daughter does not. While she has the benefit of joining either of us in the pre-check line, we can't use the Global Entry lines when she's with us. So, it's been pretty useless for our international travel.

 

[rigs32]

If you think you might fly internationally even once in the next five years, go for Global Entry.

It's wasn't worth it to me to drive two hours each way for the interview when I fly internationally maybe 2x in 5 years. I went with pre check since I do fly domestically several times a year.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

My wife and I each have Global Entry, but our 12 year old daughter does not. While she has the benefit of joining either of us in the pre-check line, we can't use the Global Entry lines when she's with us. So, it's been pretty useless for our international travel.

Why don't you get her Global Entry? Once she turns 13, she won't be able to take advantage of your TSA Pre anyway.

 

[Pooh2]

We have an appt for Precheck next week. The nearest office for Global Entry was 2 hours away. Figured precheck will likely be all we need the next 5 years anyway unless we win Powerball!

 

[alliecat523]

I have TSA PreCheck. I enter it with any airline that I fly. It's now in my FF area with about 5 or 6 airlines. Then, I just forget about it. I have never had to show 'proof' of precheck. It should come up automatically when booking a ticket if the airline has your number on file. Other than carry around the letter I got telling me that I now have PreCheck, I can't imagine how I would 'prove' it to anyone.
Now....it's good to understand that you may not get PreCheck every single time. It doesn't happen often, but it can. There can be random situations, or your airport doesn't have TSA PreCheck...the smaller airport close to me doesn't offer that.
Do I think it's worth it? If you fly more than twice a year, it's probably worth it. I wouldn't pay for Global Entry unless you're flying internationally, several times.

If you don't have your number logged with the airlines, you need to provide it. You can't just walk up and say I have PreCheck without some sort of proof (the number or a card/letter showing the information). If you have your number memorized and can rattle it off, great! But if you do, you probably also have it logged with the airlines and don't need to worry about it. So yes, unless the airline has your number on file, you need to prove you have PC. With GE, I have the ID card that I can present because even though my number is logged with some airlines, it isn't with all (Southwest for example since I fly them so rarely). I often need to pull out the card to view/provide my number to obtain PC on my boarding pass.

As someone else mentioned, some credit cards offer credit for the cost of GE. I had a corporate Amex that did this so it was worth it to get as it cost me nothing in the end.

 

[OKW Lover]

Planning a few trips this year including WDW. We mainly travel domestic and I'd like the opinion of anyone with either TSA precheck or Global Entry. I want the one that I'll get the better chance of getting PreCheck. I read that Global Entry doesn't guarantee getting precheck but eligibility for precheck is included. But I'd rather pay $85 for TSA precheck and get it more often than pay $100 and not get it as often. But if my chances of getting TSA precheck is the same then it seems the better deal is Global Entry for $100.

My wife and I have had Global Entry for a couple of years now. We almost always get pre-check when flying (which we do often) so I doubt that the chances of getting it are lower than the $85 program.

 

[mieuxmew]

Please be aware - TSA Precheck/Global Entry only applies if you fly on designated participating airlines. Low cost carriers, like Spirit and Frontier do not participate in TSA recheck.

Global Entry requires a passport, whereas TSA Precheck does not.