Is Global Entry now pointless?
 

I may be speaking from a unique situation, as I have only arrived at DTW from international flights recently... but it appears that they have abandoned the process of stopping to talk to Customs after retrieving your baggage (instead using the system the rest of the world seems to use where you voluntarily declare, with random searches).
They also now have kiosks that seem to operate the same as GE kiosks, available to all travelers.

So, is there any benefit to GE once this becomes commonplace? With a checked bag, the dedicated Customs line was really the only benefit left anyway, as speeding through Immigration was rendered moot by waiting for a bag anyway. Thoughts?

Is Global Entry now pointless?
 

Still worth it at JFK/MIA even with the APC kiosk as customs has a "priority lane" and also PreCheck.

I use global entry monthly back to the states. Still worth it at every airport I've arrived. I'm off the plane and in the car at most places in under 6 mins with carry on. I time it! ^

Have to agree, at MIA with no checked bags can be airside in minutes.

Absolutely still worth it, even at a less busy international airport you are still going to get through faster than everyone. JFK, MIA, and ATL have always been my typical points of entry and GE gets me through in minutes and I'm almost always the first (along with any other GE members from my flight) at the baggage carousel while other passengers arrive 5-10 mins later (which may not seem like a long time to some). The benefits of having Pre-Check and also a much shorter line at customs is also a big plus. Anyone that has arrived at JFK during busy times when several international flights arrive knows just how much it helps.

Also useful at pre-clearance locations where you get GE privileges rather than having to go through regular immigration.

Its very worth it. Removes nearly all need to talk to CBP agents, except at the airports that seem to try and follow their own rules (ORD comes to mind).

It is definitely still worth it in the situations where you want to get past the crowds, and you get TSA Pre to boot.

-Patrick

That's not been my usual experience at ORD, which is my home airport. They did once have a table set up for CBP to check your GE receipt, but that was definitely the exception and not the rule. I guess it depends on timing and what other thing they have going on that day, but that could be said for ANY re-entry point.

Took direct CUN-MKE Delta flight last Saturday. Flight attendants did not hand out forms to US citizens so I assumed MKE had APC kiosks. When I got there, I saw 2 Global Entry kiosks (MKE not listed as GE airport) so I used one. Out the door in about 2 minutes with carryon.

The rest of passengers were rather upset to find out no APC and handed forms to fill out.

ps. GE kiosk spit out form that was at least 2 feet long..... must have been new machine.

GE is typically faster for me than APC when I come home via ORD. I time it as many of my coworkers do not have GE.

If you fly domestically, you have to include the benefit of a high percentage of Pre-Check as well.

All in all I think is definitely worth it.

You can think of it as a $15 add-on to PreCheck at this point, right?

GE costs $100 and TSA-PRE costs $85. Both for 5 years. That amounts to $3/year presuming you want PRE for departures. If you fly once every 2 months, that amounts to $0.50 per departure for GE over Pre.

Not particularly much.

Nexus is even cheaper. $50 for 5 years. If you time it right by getting it right after your birthday, you might get it for 5 years, 11 months.

I have yet to see a line for the GE machines. I see them more times than not for the APC machines, and they're not helped by people no having a clue what they're supposed to do at the APC machines, although that will change over time. Once I've cleared the GE machine in ~2 minutes I'm out through the GE customs line in ~3 minutes including walking, while the APC users line up as usual. In most instances I'm out of the airport in under 7 minutes - or 10 minutes for DFW because they make you walk further for no good reason.