Skip Long Lines for Airport Security & Customs

Have you ever dreaded the long security lines at the airport? Hated having to show up for a flight many hours early with restless kids? Anxiously laid awake the night before an early-morning flight dreading having to get up insanely early? Gotten stuck in long customs lines coming back from an international flight? Yeah, me too... But not any more! Having TSA Pre-Check and/or Global Entry changes all of that and makes navigating the airport so much easier and better. While you might known about those programs, you likely didn't know that you can get them for free. 

What is TSA Pre-Check & Global Entry?

If you're unfamiliar with TSA Pre-Check, it allows low-risk travelers expedited security screening at airports, letting them skip removing shoes, belts, laptops, and liquids. Global Entry, on the other hand, is designed for faster U.S. customs processing for international travelers returning to the United States. Each of them last for five years and Global Entry actually includes TSA Pre-Check benefits, making it ideal for those who travel both domestically and internationally. Both require an application, background check, and a brief in-person interview for approval.

New Savings for Families with Children

Because TSA Pre-Check comes as an included perk with Global Entry, it's always best to enroll in Global Entry, even if you don't envision traveling internationally within the next five years. Plus, Global Entry just made a change that children under 18 whose parent or legal guardian is already a member or applying of any of the three programs will be exempt from the $120 fee. 

Don't Just Skip the Lines, Skip the Costs

Beyond all the free travel you earn with Travel Hacking, there are also a number of free perks that you can accumulate and utilize along the way! One of those is that many travel credit cards will offer to reimburse you the $79 for TSA Pre-Check enrollment and/or the $120 for Global Entry enrollment. That would never be a primary reason to get a card, but it is a nice added bonus to look for when you're searching for your next card! 

In the past, the convenience of Global Entry to skip the long airport security or customs lines would've cost you $500 for a family of five! Thanks to the new changes to Global Entry policy and the ability to get free Global Entry with a number of travel credit cards, that's just another savings and perk that Travel Hacking makes possible for you!