Do you use the passport card at MX/CA borders? GE would be helpful there on re-entry.

Or you could think of the $100 credit as a half-off-ish on a passport book / GE combo deal. IMO, it'd be worth it if you're going to travel outside the US at all in the next 5 years. At minimum, having a passport book means you can jump on any ridiculously cheap fare to Europe / Asia / etc right away (presuming it's a visa-free or visa-on-arrival country - there are something like 160 of those).

$145 passport (first time applicant includes $30 acceptance fee)
$100 GE
(100) Venture card credit
=====
$145 for 5 yr GE, 10 yr passport, pre-check

vs.

$85 pre-check 5 yr (No GE, no passport)

So $60 additional for a passport book and GE.


If you stretch it to 10 years, which would include 1 passport but 2 GE or pre-check apps, and presumably another credit card freebie 5 yrs down the road:

$260 passport (2x 110 passport + 30 acceptance)
$200 GE x 2
(200) Venture card credit x 2
=====
$260 for 10 yr GE, 10 yr passport, pre-check

vs.

$170 for 2x pre-check 5 yr (No GE, no passport)

So difference of $90 buys you passport book and 10 yr GE.

Oh, and GE card buys you Canada's version of pre-check if you end up flying there at all.