Nexus versus Global Entry

I live in Buffalo, NY so I cross into Canada a few times per year. I also travel internationally (other than Canada) about four times a year (usually flying into IAD, EWR, or ORD). I was thinking of getting Global Entry, but then saw that Nexus is half the price ($50 versus $100), and as far as I can tell, if I get Nexus I can use it at Global Entry entry points. Is this correct? If so, would there be any reason to get Global Entry instead of Nexus? Any additional advantages of Global Entry? The main reason I want it is for the intercontinental trips, not the Canadian trips. I am a US citizen.

Thanks!
DanK

The only reason would be if travel for the Nexus interview would be an issue as you have to go to a Canadian airport or certain border crossings.

GE you can interview at major airports throughout the US.

You can schedule an appointment if you are going to be flying into a Canadian airport or if you are close to a border crossing (which you probably are). My wife and I drove 8 hours to visit a border crossing to get our Nexus vs 30 minutes to go to the MSP airport for just GE. Then we had to get our iris scan at YYC when passing through since the border crossing didn't have the equipment for that. You need the iris scan for using the airport kiosks if you fly to Canada.

I think it was worth it! With Nexus you get all the benefits of GE, easier entry into Canada and it is 1/2 the price! Really the only thing is the fewer places to do the interview.

If you are going into Canada several times a year I say get Nexus for easier entry in, then enjoy the GE benefits when coming back to the US worldwide!

No question about it: for you, get NEXUS. I just had my interview yesterday, and the officer asked if I also wanted Global Entry, I said yes, they signed me up for it and put the CBP sticker in my passport so I don't even have to go to a GE enrollment center. In fact, the ironic thing is I can use GE and Pre✓ right now, but have to wait for my card to arrive before I can use NEXUS. All this for $50!

The only reasons to get GE instead of NEXUS are if it's too inconvenient for you to go to a NEXUS enrollment center or if you don't want to give your info to the Canadian government. In your case, the NEXUS enrollment center is across town, so the first reason isn't an issue.

Rare: you said that you just did the Nexus interview. Any tips for applying? Did you do it online? And yes, I do live minutes away from the border crossings, so it is very convenient.
DanK

You live in Buffalo, a location to actually have the NEXUS interview and Iris scan, along with GE requirements, at the bridge to Canada.

If I were paying I would get NEXUS half the price and you get GE free. Pay for GE and you do NOT get NEXUS, plus you have to pay double the price.

Only reason I got GE without NEXUS is I live in US in TX, and UA paid for my GE. If it were my dime, NEXUS is the best choice.

I might get NEXUS at one of my trips home, and if in the future I had to pay, I would be NEXUS getting my money.

Hi Dan,

Yes, I applied online. I'm not sure if you can still apply by mail, but either way, online is best.

I learned a lot about the process from reading the NEXUS Information Thread over in the Air Canada forum. It's a rather formidable thread, with 5580 posts on 372 pages over the past 5 years, so here are links to a couple posts with particularly helpful info for getting started:

"My experience from start to finish"
The interview

One clarification to the first of those posts: He says that you "need to book an interview at one of the closest nexus interview locations." Actually, you can do your interview at any of the enrollment centers. Probably the most convenient for you will also be one of the closest, but if you happened to be in, say, Seattle and wanted to do it there, you can.

You have at least two enrollment centers near you. A number of people have posted that they did their interviews at the Niagara Falls office. It's on the US side of the Whirlpool Bridge; if you want your iris photo taken so that you can use NEXUS for air travel, they'll give you a pass to go across the bridge to have it done on the Canadian side. There's also an office across the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie that can do it all.

The online application mostly asks one question at a time, advancing to a new screen for each question. It was helpful to me to see all the questions ahead of time, which is possible by way of the Step by Step Online Application Instructions (a PowerPoint file).

Other than the above, the only other tip I can think of is to be honest. Both NEXUS and GE are "Trusted Traveler" programs, so they need to be sure they can trust you!

One other reason that someone might get Global Entry instead of NEXUS is if they qualify for GE but not for NEXUS; e.g., if they're not a U.S. or Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or perhaps if they have something in their record that the U.S. is ok with but Canada isn't.

Hope this helps. FlyerTalk has been very useful to me in learning about these programs, and I am glad to pass along what I have learned.

Don't forget, if you have an true AMEX Platinum card (not an airline one) to charge the Nexus application to that card & they will automatically rebate the $50 to you - they rebate $100 for Global Entry, so you can actually get two Nexus accounts rebated (I did, for me & my wife, even though they posted as two separate $50 charges).