TSA PreCheck and Global Entry can both shorten part of an airport trip, but they solve different problems. TSA PreCheck is designed for security screening before flights from participating U.S. airports. Global Entry is designed for faster processing when an approved traveler arrives in the United States from another country, and it also includes TSA PreCheck access.
For many travelers, the decision comes down to one question: Do you expect to travel internationally during the next five years? If the answer is yes, Global Entry usually provides the broader package. If nearly all your flying is domestic, TSA PreCheck is simpler, cheaper and more directly matched to the part of the airport you use.
Both programs require an application and identity review, and neither guarantees that every trip will be expedited. The practical differences are price, interview requirements, processing time and where the benefit appears during a journey.
The short answer
Choose TSA PreCheck if your main goal is a more convenient security checkpoint before domestic flights. Members can generally keep shoes, belts and light jackets on and leave compliant liquids and electronics in their bags in dedicated lanes.
Choose Global Entry if you regularly return to the United States after international travel. The program provides expedited arrival processing, includes TSA PreCheck and can also be used at land borders. It costs more and normally requires a first-time in-person interview.
What TSA PreCheck currently includes
As of July 15, 2026, TSA lists five years of PreCheck benefits for $85 or less. Initial enrollment prices vary by TSA-authorized provider: $76.75 through IDEMIA, $79.95 through CLEAR and $85 through Telos. Renewal prices also vary by provider and by whether renewal is completed online or in person.
TSA says about 99% of PreCheck passengers wait less than 10 minutes. The agency lists more than 1,300 enrollment locations across its three providers. Applicants start online, then complete document verification, fingerprinting, a photo and payment with an enrollment provider.
After approval, the traveler receives a Known Traveler Number, or KTN. That number must be added to the airline reservation or frequent-flyer profile for the PreCheck indicator to appear on a boarding pass. TSA still uses unpredictable security measures, so expedited screening is never guaranteed on a particular trip.
What Global Entry adds
U.S. Customs and Border Protection charges $120 for a five-year Global Entry membership. The program is intended for preapproved, low-risk travelers and provides expedited processing at participating U.S. arrival locations. Its benefits include TSA PreCheck and use at land borders.
The application requires a background check, and first-time applicants must complete an in-person interview. CBP says most applications are reviewed within two weeks, although some can take 12 months or longer depending on an applicant’s history. Conditionally approved travelers may be able to complete the interview through Enrollment on Arrival or Enrollment on Departure rather than waiting for a conventional enrollment-center appointment.
Is Global Entry worth the extra cost?
On the current listed prices, Global Entry costs $35 to $43.25 more than initial TSA PreCheck enrollment over five years. That works out to roughly $7 to $8.65 more per year for international arrival benefits. For someone who takes even one or two international trips a year, the added convenience may justify the difference.
The tradeoff is not only price. TSA PreCheck enrollment is usually the more direct process, while Global Entry adds a federal background review and interview. A traveler with no international plans may be paying for an arrival benefit that goes unused. Someone with an international trip approaching soon should also avoid assuming Global Entry approval will arrive before departure.
Some credit cards reimburse trusted-traveler application fees, but coverage, timing and eligible programs vary. Check the card’s current benefit terms before treating reimbursement as part of the decision.
How the family rules differ
TSA says children 17 and younger can accompany an eligible adult through the PreCheck lane without paying for their own membership, subject to the agency’s family rules and the indicator shown on the child’s boarding pass. That can make a single adult membership useful for a household that mainly takes domestic trips together.
Global Entry works differently. Every traveler, including a child, needs an individual application and approval to use Global Entry processing. CBP currently waives the application fee for a minor when a parent or legal guardian is already a member or is applying at the same time. The child still goes through the application process.
What neither program does
TSA PreCheck does not speed up passport control when returning from another country. Global Entry does not provide expedited immigration processing when entering a foreign country, and it does not eliminate customs obligations or the possibility of additional examination in the United States.
CBP points travelers who take fewer international flights toward TSA PreCheck plus the free Mobile Passport Control app as another option for reducing arrival friction. Mobile Passport Control is not a trusted-traveler membership and does not include PreCheck, but it may cover the arrival need for an occasional international traveler without a Global Entry application.
A practical way to choose
- Mostly domestic flights: Start with TSA PreCheck.
- Regular international trips: Global Entry usually offers better overall value because PreCheck is included.
- International trip coming soon: Compare the possible application timeline with the trip date before relying on Global Entry.
- Traveling with children: Compare PreCheck’s accompanying-child rules with Global Entry’s individual-application requirement.
- Fee reimbursement available: Confirm exactly which program and enrollment charge the card covers.
The best program is the one that removes friction from the trips you actually take. Domestic travelers generally need only the departure-side benefit. Travelers who repeatedly cross the U.S. border are more likely to benefit from paying a little more and completing the additional Global Entry steps.
