Global Entry vs. PreCheck
Nov 20, 2015 | 3:41 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 141
On our last return from Mexico (via Houston), we were directed to use the kiosks to complete our customs declarations. This was after we had already completed the same forms by hand on the plane. With GE, is the use of the kiosks any different (faster)?
There seems to be a lot of confusion over these programs.
Global Entry: Allows you faster access through Passport Control when arriving into the US on an international flight. You can use computer kiosk terminals, usually with no waiting, instead of the potential long lines in the arrivals hall. Also, there might be an expedited line for exiting through Customs after you get your baggage.
Global Entry: Allows you faster access through Passport Control when arriving into the US on an international flight. You can use computer kiosk terminals, usually with no waiting, instead of the potential long lines in the arrivals hall. Also, there might be an expedited line for exiting through Customs after you get your baggage.
Nov 20, 2015 | 3:45 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAC Gold
Posts: 4,124
There are different kiosks for GE. There is usually not much waiting and you get a different receipt, immigration lane and, in most places, customs lane.
Nov 20, 2015 | 4:39 pm
#19
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,253
There seems to be a lot of confusion over these programs.
Global Entry: Allows you faster access through Passport Control when arriving into the US on an international flight. You can use computer kiosk terminals, usually with no waiting, instead of the potential long lines in the arrivals hall. Also, there might be an expedited line for exiting through Customs after you get your baggage.
Pre-Check: Allows you faster access through TSA Security Screening for 12 US-based airlines. Dedicated line for Pre-Check through to screening. Pre-Check is airline-specific. Once you have been approved by TSA for Pre-Check (or if you are already a member of Global Entry, Nexus, Trusted Traveler), you enter your 'Known Traveler Number' in your airline profile. If you are selected for Pre-Check on a specific upcoming flight, it will be printed on your boarding pass, and then you can use the Pre-Check lane at security. Not guaranteed, and dependent on your flying on Pre-Check airlines.
Clear Security: Allows you faster access through TSA security screening at 13 airports. Once registered, you use the Clear lane at security for every flight, regardless of airline or destination, with the Clear computer kiosk. This skips you past TSA ID check and into security screening. I used this 2 weeks ago on a British Airways flight at IAH Terminal D security. Jumped me right ahead of everyone waiting for ID check (including Pre-Check people), but mucked in with everyone else waiting for the scanner.
Global Entry: Allows you faster access through Passport Control when arriving into the US on an international flight. You can use computer kiosk terminals, usually with no waiting, instead of the potential long lines in the arrivals hall. Also, there might be an expedited line for exiting through Customs after you get your baggage.
Pre-Check: Allows you faster access through TSA Security Screening for 12 US-based airlines. Dedicated line for Pre-Check through to screening. Pre-Check is airline-specific. Once you have been approved by TSA for Pre-Check (or if you are already a member of Global Entry, Nexus, Trusted Traveler), you enter your 'Known Traveler Number' in your airline profile. If you are selected for Pre-Check on a specific upcoming flight, it will be printed on your boarding pass, and then you can use the Pre-Check lane at security. Not guaranteed, and dependent on your flying on Pre-Check airlines.
Clear Security: Allows you faster access through TSA security screening at 13 airports. Once registered, you use the Clear lane at security for every flight, regardless of airline or destination, with the Clear computer kiosk. This skips you past TSA ID check and into security screening. I used this 2 weeks ago on a British Airways flight at IAH Terminal D security. Jumped me right ahead of everyone waiting for ID check (including Pre-Check people), but mucked in with everyone else waiting for the scanner.
Now that the "managed inclusion" people are largely gone, the CLEAR thing might save on average 30 seconds while the access to the pre-check routinely takes me anywhere from 15 seconds to 2 minutes at most airports.
Nov 20, 2015 | 6:00 pm
#23
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAC Gold
Posts: 4,124
That will depend a lot on where you plan to do it. The initial process is quite fast (a few days) and GE approval is at the interview, though it may take a couple of days for PC to come through.
Nov 20, 2015 | 6:02 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 141
Los Angeles. Any idea how flexible the appointment times are? It's takes a bit of logistics to get my family all together on a weekday to go down to the airport.
Nov 20, 2015 | 8:44 pm
#27
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAC Gold
Posts: 4,124
I'm not sure what you mean. There is certainly a bit of leeway but it's good to arrive early, be prepared to wait, but not to be surprised if they see you early. I wouldn't push it more than 15 minutes or so. I don't know if LAX does walk ins, you'll have to wait for a local to reply on that. There's a bit of stuff if you Google "Global Entry LAX".
Nov 20, 2015 | 9:14 pm
#28
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Traveling some where hopefully
Programs: AS, AA Gold, and Hilton
Posts: 1,953
TSA is supposedly not giving Pre-Check to anyone who has not signed up for it or GE and thus paid. Your success rate will be high in that case. If you previously got it through the airline as an elite or from TSA as a random offer then your success rate should now be zero.
Nov 20, 2015 | 10:24 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: LAX SNA
Posts: 895
Nov 21, 2015 | 12:02 am
#30
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT EXP; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
GE gets you a Known Traveler Number - I put it in my (US) airline profile and get PreCheck over 95% of the time.
Some credit cards pay your GE app or renewal every five years.
You set your interview up online, so you get lots of possibilities. I can't recall, but there may be more than one L.A. interview center.
Some locations are fairly liberal about walk ins if it's not busy (ORD when I applied and was first interviewed) and some not (IAD where I was reinterviewed this month - I'd retired, traveled to Cuba, Turkey and Ukraine within the last couple of years - they were checkers and had a sign walk ins are not accepted. (Major changes or potentially suspicious travel gets a conditional approval and a reinterview - mine took about ten minutes.)
If you're squeaky clean, no problem. If one is not, disclose fully - lying to or concealing from a Federal officer is a Federal crime (ask Martha Stewart how that can go) and likely no KTN.
Some credit cards pay the fee for GE once every five years.
Last edited by JDiver; Nov 21, 2015 at 12:17 am