I was approved last week and was able to use some of the GE benefits immediately, as I got TSA Precheck for a US domestic flight (with AA) by adding in my Known Traveller Number that the CBP officer gave to me at the interview.

Now... I am under the impression that I won't receive a GE card because it is only for the Nationals mentioned in the quoted post/webpage and I am not one of them. I wouldn't need a GE card anyway because the card would only be good for entry by a land border anyway so is irrelevant for air travel where you just use your passport(s) or green card. Now, the CBP officer didn't mention the nationality issue to me and instead explained that I *would* receive a GE card. He required a US or Canadian address from me for CBP go send this GE card to (the requirement that GE cards be sent to only US or Canadian addresses is mentioned on the GOES system). I just gave him my partner's US address (and explained that it was her address too). Now, I'm not actually expecting a GE card to that address because I don't think I'm eligible given I'm not on the eligible nationalities. However, I'll keep an eye out. I phoned the GE Helpdesk yesterday and asked them if I should
expect a card and they said they didn't know but that I should expect it soon if one is sent out.

So, no... one does not need a GE card for the GE air travel benefits which I think are just TSA Precheck and using the GE Kiosk for expedited entry at the US border when arriving by air. You just need your passport for entry at the border, and a Known Traveller Number for the TSA Precheck benefit. Your unique Known Traveller Number should be given at the end of the CBP interview assuming you have been approved (and if you are approved by aren't given the number at interview, then you can wait to get an email from GOES with the number... or if you can't wait for the email then you can just log onto GOES and it'll list it for you. It might be referred to as a PassID and I believe it'll begin with 986 for anybody joining from now on). Despite not needing a GE card, my experience this far means it is unclear whether we are eligible for a GE card for land entry. This experience is due to a discrepancy between what I was told in person and what the CBP website tells us. I'm willing to bet it is the latter and that UK Citizens are not eligible for the GE card at this time.

I'd add to the very positive comments for the GE application and interview process, both in terms of the professionalism and the speed (though obviously the speed might change with the program being opened more widely on December 3rd).

I've not used the GE kiosks yet as I only left the US on Sunday evening and haven't returned as I've been enjoying the M1, M6, M42, M5 and M25 ever since. However, I look forward to using them at least once in December in DUB near the end of the month, but also possibly in JFK in two weeks. For Anybody who does use the benefit in the next few weeks, it'd be good to hear your experience.

Despite not using the expedited immigration entry benefit, I have used the other benefit of the GE. The TSA Precheck benefit that comes as part of GE was excellent in BOS (Terminal B) and much faster than the AA priority security lane on a busy Sunday thanksgiving weekend afternoon, and massively faster than the standard non-priority lane by about 15 minutes. The speed was probably due to fewer people using the TSA Precheck lane compared to the other lanes but also the reduced need to prepare oneself for security. In particular.... I was not required to take my laptop off, my shoes off, or my belt off. I even saw one guy wearing a hat and was not asked to take it off! Very convenient! I think that the TSA Precheck benefit is only available when departing on a flight in/from the US and only with selected airlines- I had the benefit listed on the boarding passes for the AA domestic and an AA international flight for which I had added my known traveller number when checking-in online. I had to go to the AA bag drop desk to ask them to print a boarding pass for me because the mobile boarding pass did not read "TSA Precheck". The boarding pass that the bag drop agent printed for me did include it. In addition. the TSA Precheck benefit is not officially available when flying on flights operated by Virgin Atlantic, EI, or BA that depart from the US at this time (although BA and Virgin have both told me that you might be able to add a known traveller number when you go to the bag drop desk at the US airport but with no promises as to whether it'll work).

So yes, those are my experiences after being approved for GE last week.