May 4, 2017, 12:01 am
Last edit by: drewguy
US Airports
Atlanta (ATL)
E concourse/transfer passengers
Global Entry kiosks are on the left wall as you enter the immigration area (the queues for the non-GE are to the right). After completing with the kiosk (facial recognition, no reset), continue to the far side of the room and turn right for the GE exit booths. Your face will be matched visually by the agent (against a line up of those recently through the kiosks) and you proceed to baggage claim. If you have no problems with your connecting flight (and no reason to open the bags) move them over to the drop off belt. There are two queues at security. Sometimes one is set up as TSA Precheck, sometimes they are both regular. Amusingly, when they have a Precheck line, there's usually nobody in the other one.
Boston (BOS)
All passengers follow a first hallway, then a bend, entering a second hallway; at that point you see the non-GE situation to your left through the glass. GE kiosks are at the far end to the left, with one (or two) immigration agents checking for slips with an X, then downstairs to baggage claim. GE customs exit, easy to miss, at far end (left side as you face luggage belts).
Charlotte (CLT)
No MPC. Customs exit has two booths. There is a dedicated GE customs lane with signage on the left. May have to walk past (and get dirty looks) general customs queue to see GE signage.
Chicago (ORD)
The kiosks are immediately apparent as you come down to the immigration/customs area, although sometimes long lines for "regular" immigration can slow access to the kiosks. After baggage claim there is a single exit to transfer/arrivals, with a specific desk for GE customers sometimes staffed.
Denver (DEN)
After the long walk from your gate, signs for global entry point you straight down the escalator (non-GE get forms checked and may queue). Kiosks to right using 2.0. If an X or to declare a sign points to agent. Otherwise proceed to baggage reclaim area. Give slip to agent at exit and proceed to airport main entrance.
Houston (IAH):
There is a single, roped off separate area on southern (terminal E) end of the arrivals hall with kiosks as you enter the hall, and an additional bank of kiosks near officers at a desk that check (and keep) GE receipts as one is entering the central immigration area. Proceed to the bag claim escalator past agents that may pull people for further questioning. After claiming bags downstairs, proceed directly to recheck. Agents in the area may pull you aside for bag inspection. There is no GE or standard exit queue.
Los Angeles (LAX):
International arrivals come into the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). After the walk to escalators, GE lines are well marked. LAX uses GE 2.0 facial recognition - just smile at the camera and it will tell you what to do next. You'll then go past an agent with whatever interaction they deem necessary. On to baggage claim and either taxis or a connecting flight.
Miami (MIA):
The kiosks are in the centre of the hall, between US and Tourists. Turn left when you have cleared and down the stairs/escalator to Customs. Turn left at the bottom and your GE Customs line is there.
New York (JFK):
T8
After receiving your "non-X" GE slip, you proceed to baggage area (if you have any), then head for the customs agent. There is a sign on a stand: "GLOBAL ENTRY EXIT", this lets you bypass any "others" waiting to see an agent.; There is a CPB agent who checks your pp (after collecting your slip). You then go to collect your luggage (if you have any), unless you are singled out for extra scrutiny, you are free to leave.
Once you are in baggage collection area, it seems all pax have "equal status" since GE no longer have their slips. [GE pax would still have their GE cards to show if needed.]
T7
Upon arrival in the Immigration area, the kiosks are on the back wall, facing the front of the inspectors booths. Turn left and you may have to walk right across the area to get to them. There is a special exit for Customs.
Philadelphia (PHL):
Global Entry kiosks are immediately on the right if arriving from an A-East gate (A2-A13). After successful facial recognition take your receipt to the Global Entry cubicle next to the kiosks. Hold up your receipt as your pass the GE officer in the cubicle and tell them if you have anything to declare. After claiming checked luggage, exit the FIS through the GE customs line, and give the officer your receipt.
San Francisco (SFO):
International arrivals G concourse - United/*A
Corridor from planes with floor and ceiling markings for different categories (GE, MPC, US, Foreign) that ultimately end up in lanes demarcated with tensa-barriers. GE is to the far left, where the kiosks are along the wall. Use kiosk, wait for agent, who will ask any questions, then pickup any bags and head past all carousels. Connecting flights to left; exit to right.
Seattle
Just before taking the escalator to the baggage hall the GE kiosks are on the right. New software so no receipts. After baggage collection join queue to the left for GE passengers. Agent asks questions as well as checks you for the GE kiosk record.
Washington (IAD):
Main Terminal
The kiosks are around the corner to the far right after you come down the escalator from the moon rover, behind a metal swinging gate marked for crew and GE.Starting Spring 2017 After using the kiosk, you'll enter a lane to for an agent to review your slip and to make any declarations (food, etc.), and then you proceed out a central door to the baggage claim area. There is no further check after this point. Post-2021: Using GE 2.0 and agents tend to take more time studying passport; door to baggage area a bit closer to GE checkpoint. Spring 2023: New facial scanners in place that are touchless - just look at screen, it images face, and directs you (in most cases) to proceed to the line. CBP agent confirms identity and checks passport, and asks if anything to declare.
Midfield (transfers) terminal (UA-UA only; limited hours)
The GE terminals are against the wall, on the left, immediately that you enter the arrivals immigration area. Do not join the barricaded area as you have gone too far. After you have your receipt you walk down the back of the inspectors booths to Customs. Note: No TSAPre available here.
Foreign Preclearance Airports
Montreal (YUL)
(All US bound flights)After CATSA security, the GE machines will be in your left. Facial recognition and no receipts will be issued just instructions to proceed to US or GE officer.
Vancouver (YVR)
(Most daytime US-bound flights. Not available for late-evening / night US-bound flights) GE/Nexus get expedited access to security, although it takes a bit of talking to convince the line guard to grant access because there is no reason to carry the GE card for air travel. Post security, the GE machines are in a dedicated area off to the left. After getting the receipt, you hand your receipt, passport and boarding pass to an available agent. Agent scans your boarding pass and if you have checked bags, a picture of your bag is displayed to the officer. American Citizens are waved past with ease. Non-American citizens are required to answer the standard "Where are you going / what are you doing" questions that apply to non-American citizen travellers. Non-American business travelers using GE at YVR can expect all the standard probing immigration-related questions regarding the nature of your business in the USA.
Dublin (DUB)
Preclearance:
After security, find 3 or 4 GE kiosks located on the left hand side. After getting the receipt, walk up to the CBP agent on the far left (from the passengers' point of view). Need to stop at CBP agent's desk and hand over passport + receipt + boarding pass. The BP is scanned to bring up picture(s) of bag(s) (in case bags were checked).
Atlanta (ATL)
E concourse/transfer passengers
Global Entry kiosks are on the left wall as you enter the immigration area (the queues for the non-GE are to the right). After completing with the kiosk (facial recognition, no reset), continue to the far side of the room and turn right for the GE exit booths. Your face will be matched visually by the agent (against a line up of those recently through the kiosks) and you proceed to baggage claim. If you have no problems with your connecting flight (and no reason to open the bags) move them over to the drop off belt. There are two queues at security. Sometimes one is set up as TSA Precheck, sometimes they are both regular. Amusingly, when they have a Precheck line, there's usually nobody in the other one.
Boston (BOS)
All passengers follow a first hallway, then a bend, entering a second hallway; at that point you see the non-GE situation to your left through the glass. GE kiosks are at the far end to the left, with one (or two) immigration agents checking for slips with an X, then downstairs to baggage claim. GE customs exit, easy to miss, at far end (left side as you face luggage belts).
Charlotte (CLT)
No MPC. Customs exit has two booths. There is a dedicated GE customs lane with signage on the left. May have to walk past (and get dirty looks) general customs queue to see GE signage.
Chicago (ORD)
The kiosks are immediately apparent as you come down to the immigration/customs area, although sometimes long lines for "regular" immigration can slow access to the kiosks. After baggage claim there is a single exit to transfer/arrivals, with a specific desk for GE customers sometimes staffed.
Denver (DEN)
After the long walk from your gate, signs for global entry point you straight down the escalator (non-GE get forms checked and may queue). Kiosks to right using 2.0. If an X or to declare a sign points to agent. Otherwise proceed to baggage reclaim area. Give slip to agent at exit and proceed to airport main entrance.
Houston (IAH):
There is a single, roped off separate area on southern (terminal E) end of the arrivals hall with kiosks as you enter the hall, and an additional bank of kiosks near officers at a desk that check (and keep) GE receipts as one is entering the central immigration area. Proceed to the bag claim escalator past agents that may pull people for further questioning. After claiming bags downstairs, proceed directly to recheck. Agents in the area may pull you aside for bag inspection. There is no GE or standard exit queue.
Los Angeles (LAX):
International arrivals come into the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). After the walk to escalators, GE lines are well marked. LAX uses GE 2.0 facial recognition - just smile at the camera and it will tell you what to do next. You'll then go past an agent with whatever interaction they deem necessary. On to baggage claim and either taxis or a connecting flight.
Miami (MIA):
The kiosks are in the centre of the hall, between US and Tourists. Turn left when you have cleared and down the stairs/escalator to Customs. Turn left at the bottom and your GE Customs line is there.
New York (JFK):
T8
After receiving your "non-X" GE slip,
Once you are in baggage collection area, it seems all pax have "equal status" since GE no longer have their slips. [GE pax would still have their GE cards to show if needed.]
T7
Upon arrival in the Immigration area, the kiosks are on the back wall, facing the front of the inspectors booths. Turn left and you may have to walk right across the area to get to them. There is a special exit for Customs.
Philadelphia (PHL):
Global Entry kiosks are immediately on the right if arriving from an A-East gate (A2-A13). After successful facial recognition take your receipt to the Global Entry cubicle next to the kiosks. Hold up your receipt as your pass the GE officer in the cubicle and tell them if you have anything to declare. After claiming checked luggage, exit the FIS through the GE customs line, and give the officer your receipt.
San Francisco (SFO):
International arrivals G concourse - United/*A
Corridor from planes with floor and ceiling markings for different categories (GE, MPC, US, Foreign) that ultimately end up in lanes demarcated with tensa-barriers. GE is to the far left, where the kiosks are along the wall. Use kiosk, wait for agent, who will ask any questions, then pickup any bags and head past all carousels. Connecting flights to left; exit to right.
Seattle
Just before taking the escalator to the baggage hall the GE kiosks are on the right. New software so no receipts. After baggage collection join queue to the left for GE passengers. Agent asks questions as well as checks you for the GE kiosk record.
Washington (IAD):
Main Terminal
The kiosks are around the corner to the far right after you come down the escalator from the moon rover, behind a metal swinging gate marked for crew and GE.
Midfield (transfers) terminal (UA-UA only; limited hours)
The GE terminals are against the wall, on the left, immediately that you enter the arrivals immigration area. Do not join the barricaded area as you have gone too far. After you have your receipt you walk down the back of the inspectors booths to Customs. Note: No TSAPre available here.
Foreign Preclearance Airports
Montreal (YUL)
(All US bound flights)After CATSA security, the GE machines will be in your left. Facial recognition and no receipts will be issued just instructions to proceed to US or GE officer.
Vancouver (YVR)
(Most daytime US-bound flights. Not available for late-evening / night US-bound flights) GE/Nexus get expedited access to security, although it takes a bit of talking to convince the line guard to grant access because there is no reason to carry the GE card for air travel. Post security, the GE machines are in a dedicated area off to the left. After getting the receipt, you hand your receipt, passport and boarding pass to an available agent. Agent scans your boarding pass and if you have checked bags, a picture of your bag is displayed to the officer. American Citizens are waved past with ease. Non-American citizens are required to answer the standard "Where are you going / what are you doing" questions that apply to non-American citizen travellers. Non-American business travelers using GE at YVR can expect all the standard probing immigration-related questions regarding the nature of your business in the USA.
Dublin (DUB)
Preclearance:
After security, find 3 or 4 GE kiosks located on the left hand side. After getting the receipt, walk up to the CBP agent on the far left (from the passengers' point of view). Need to stop at CBP agent's desk and hand over passport + receipt + boarding pass. The BP is scanned to bring up picture(s) of bag(s) (in case bags were checked).
How does Global Entry work for You?
Sep 15, 2022, 1:51 pm
#256
Join Date: May 2007
Location: LAS
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion
Posts: 258
Arriving at ORD last weekend, the long corridor from the gate to the immigration area was divided into two parts, with the left side for GE.
This would be great, but every 30 feet or so there was a staff member who asked me if I was really GE. They are not CBP officers but some sort of low-level staff. There were a total of six such people I had to respond to, and one of them blocked my way and got in my face, which the other five had not, and would not take yes for an answer. "Are you a foreign visitor?" (My ethnicity would suggest a likely foreigner, if this were say 1970.) "Do you know what Global Entry is?" "Can you show me your GE card?" (As everyone here knows, the card is only used at land borders.)
She did back off when I finally snapped at her, but it was not pleasant.
The actual GE process is of course increasingly streamlined. Face recognition, no receipt from the machine, but an officer standing near the bank of machines called out my name and gave me a generic pass to turn in at the exit.
This would be great, but every 30 feet or so there was a staff member who asked me if I was really GE. They are not CBP officers but some sort of low-level staff. There were a total of six such people I had to respond to, and one of them blocked my way and got in my face, which the other five had not, and would not take yes for an answer. "Are you a foreign visitor?" (My ethnicity would suggest a likely foreigner, if this were say 1970.) "Do you know what Global Entry is?" "Can you show me your GE card?" (As everyone here knows, the card is only used at land borders.)
She did back off when I finally snapped at her, but it was not pleasant.
The actual GE process is of course increasingly streamlined. Face recognition, no receipt from the machine, but an officer standing near the bank of machines called out my name and gave me a generic pass to turn in at the exit.
Sep 15, 2022, 2:31 pm
#257
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
Yikes, those low level contract staff can be annoying, especially when they are ignorant of how things work. She should have just been satisfied with your original yes and not blocked your way. I am flying into ORD and I have GE through Nexus. I’m wondering if they won’t understand that all Nexus members have GE. Hopefully she won’t say, “no, that’s not GE” if I show my Nexus card and will understand that I qualify. Certain airports have these annoyances more than others.
If you are hassled, consider complaining at https://www.flychicago.com/business/...ntactinfo.aspx
Sep 16, 2022, 12:57 am
#258
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,125
We used GE yesterday morning (arriving in business class on ET574 just before 08:00 at M16).
No hassles about GE access. But we went down to the passport check area directly at the GE kiosks.
The facial recognition went flawlessly. Received what looked like a MPC card and went from gate to baggage claim in 5 - 10 minutes.
No hassles about GE access. But we went down to the passport check area directly at the GE kiosks.
The facial recognition went flawlessly. Received what looked like a MPC card and went from gate to baggage claim in 5 - 10 minutes.
Sep 19, 2022, 4:42 am
#259
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,088
IAH Global entry a joke
We arrived at the IAH GE station about 1445 yesterday. Fairly short line to get into the roped off area. Poor signage. There were many Brits getting off BA that got into this line. Some made it as far as the kiosks and couldn’t figure out why their passports were being rejected. No attendants on duty expediting people to open kiosks.
FOURTEEN out of 30 machines were labeled “OUT OF ORDER!”
Once we did our thing at the kiosk, we had to get into another queue. This has changed since pre Covid when the machine printed a receipt and you just handed it to an officer on the way out.
There were only two stations staffed and both underwent a staff change at 1500, which took about five minutes before the queue started moving again. By this time, the queue had about 75 people in it, vs about 10 when we got into this line.
The officer scanned our boarding passes, took out pictures, asked if we had anything to declare, etc.
Virtually everything done in the regular immigration lines. So, what’s the point of Global Entry anymore?
It sure didn’t save much time and is very poorly organized and staffed.
FOURTEEN out of 30 machines were labeled “OUT OF ORDER!”
Once we did our thing at the kiosk, we had to get into another queue. This has changed since pre Covid when the machine printed a receipt and you just handed it to an officer on the way out.
There were only two stations staffed and both underwent a staff change at 1500, which took about five minutes before the queue started moving again. By this time, the queue had about 75 people in it, vs about 10 when we got into this line.
The officer scanned our boarding passes, took out pictures, asked if we had anything to declare, etc.
Virtually everything done in the regular immigration lines. So, what’s the point of Global Entry anymore?
It sure didn’t save much time and is very poorly organized and staffed.
Sep 19, 2022, 4:47 am
#261
Moderator: Hyatt Gold Passport & Star Alliance
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London, UK
Programs: UA-1K 3MM/HY- LT Globalist/BA-GGL/GfL
Posts: 12,094
This is not an unfamiliar experience at many stations now - JFK T8 requires a check of passport against slip, JFK T7 requires you to queue for additional questions after the kiosks ...
The only quick one appears to be LAX which has the new machines and system.
The only quick one appears to be LAX which has the new machines and system.
Sep 19, 2022, 6:04 am
#262
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Programs: UA Platinum MM; DL Silver; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Hilton Gold; Marriott Gold
Posts: 24,249
Global Entry has been a breeze for me at IAH on all my recent arrivals. Kensterfly is correct that quite a few kiosks are out-of-service, but the ones that are working require a quick facial recognition scan, followed by a short walk and a quick handoff of one's passport to a CBP officer, a couple of questions, and then you are waived through to baggage claim. I haven't had to wait to get a Global Entry kiosk all year despite the number of machines that are out-of-service.
Last edited by SAT Lawyer; Sep 19, 2022 at 8:52 am
Sep 19, 2022, 6:33 am
#263
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,090
Last two times I arrived at IAD, they had switched to using facial recognition only - you don't even have to show your passport. You look at the machine (they seem to be modified machines with cameras), take a picture, and it prints out a receipt and it says "proceed". But they only have about 8 machines, of which four were not working both times. And the camera is fixed. It seems to be aimed at someone 5 foot tall - everyone has to bend down to get their picture. Went pretty fast, though. Seems like this may be a rollout or trial.
Sep 19, 2022, 7:07 am
#264
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,419
Not sure if the GE 2.0 hasn't given them comfort as to accuracy or something else. Hopefully they get it sorted, because it really didn't seem any quicker than mobile passport.
Sep 19, 2022, 7:30 am
#266
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: United 1K, Frontier 100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond/ Ambassador/ Milestoner
Posts: 569
I do find the camera aimed at 5 feet to be funny. For all the intelligence in the system, they could not figure out a way to take a wide angle picture and then crop it based on where the head is..
Sep 19, 2022, 7:41 am
#267
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: Mileage Plus, Marriott Rewards, Southwest Rapid Rewards
Posts: 686
No issues when I came in a few weeks ago, though it was no slower to go through the regular line at that time. Only international arrivals were narrow bodies from Mexico so no huge planes backing up the line.
Sep 19, 2022, 8:37 am
#268
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 191
Last two times I arrived at IAD, they had switched to using facial recognition only - you don't even have to show your passport. You look at the machine (they seem to be modified machines with cameras), take a picture, and it prints out a receipt and it says "proceed". But they only have about 8 machines, of which four were not working both times. And the camera is fixed. It seems to be aimed at someone 5 foot tall - everyone has to bend down to get their picture. Went pretty fast, though. Seems like this may be a rollout or trial.
Sep 19, 2022, 8:43 am
#269
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
Last time I used GE, it took longer than if I had used the regular line because we were the first flight to arrive and no one was waiting in regular customs, while we had to go through a person at GE, who was working with a passenger from a previous flight. This was at IAD
I was then reminded that, while saving time is an awesome thing, the biggest reason I got GE was because I was constantly hassled at CBP previously. I paid and have paid to renew simply not to be treated like I was in the regular line, with regular pull asides for extensive questioning, accusations of having a fake passport (yes, that happened at Newark), and many of the other mind games that they would regularly try with me.
Once I got GE, my interactions with CBP have simply been giving them a piece of paper and them telling me 'Welcome Home'.
Saving time in the line (which is awesome) is a secondary perk.
I was then reminded that, while saving time is an awesome thing, the biggest reason I got GE was because I was constantly hassled at CBP previously. I paid and have paid to renew simply not to be treated like I was in the regular line, with regular pull asides for extensive questioning, accusations of having a fake passport (yes, that happened at Newark), and many of the other mind games that they would regularly try with me.
Once I got GE, my interactions with CBP have simply been giving them a piece of paper and them telling me 'Welcome Home'.
Saving time in the line (which is awesome) is a secondary perk.
Sep 19, 2022, 9:08 am
#270
Formerly doc4science
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: CMH/DSM
Programs: United Airlines Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 562
+1. I had this at IAD as well, where a CBP agent was rescanning passports. Took away the efficiency and speed of GE.
Not sure if the GE 2.0 hasn't given them comfort as to accuracy or something else. Hopefully they get it sorted, because it really didn't seem any quicker than mobile passport.
Not sure if the GE 2.0 hasn't given them comfort as to accuracy or something else. Hopefully they get it sorted, because it really didn't seem any quicker than mobile passport.