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How does Global Entry work for You?

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Old May 4, 2017, 12:01 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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).
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How does Global Entry work for You?

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Old May 19, 2016, 5:16 am
  #76  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: West Sussex
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 897
Originally Posted by strichener
You don't need anything on your booking, it is based on your passport. Also, I don't believe that any cards are now issued for GE.

ETA: This information is for UK->US Entry. If you have internal US flights and you wish to have TSA Pre-check then you need your KTN to be entered on your booking so that your boarding pass will be correctly marked.
For BA bookings there is no facility to enter a Known Traveller number on the BA website. For the US domestic leg, you will need to go directly to the AA website, locate the booking and add it there.

Once in the US and through immigration get the boarding pass reprinted and you will see and have access to TSA Pre.
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Old May 19, 2016, 5:31 am
  #77  
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For what it's worth, there's still some confusion on board BA flights with the announcement regarding the white customs form. Contrary to what I've heard several times, you don't need to complete a white customs form if you're entering through Global Entry.
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Old May 19, 2016, 6:04 am
  #78  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Originally Posted by BillyBleach
For BA bookings there is no facility to enter a Known Traveller number on the BA website. For the US domestic leg, you will need to go directly to the AA website, locate the booking and add it there.

Once in the US and through immigration get the boarding pass reprinted and you will see and have access to TSA Pre.
That is exactly what I meant. Thanks for the more detailed explanation.
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Old May 19, 2016, 6:29 am
  #79  
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Simply ignore the information about paper forms. It's been the case for years because GE is hardly a new facility, simply new for UK nationals. I've found that rather than arguing just take the form and smile.
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Old May 25, 2016, 3:47 pm
  #80  
Moderator: Avianca, Travel Photography, Travel Technology & USA
 
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Double jump from BA to USA to the Trusted Traveler forum, which has a heavy focus on Global Entry style subjects. Thanks
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Old May 29, 2016, 1:17 am
  #81  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: PNW
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Anyone tried GE at MIA?

After getting the receipt from the kiosk, I followed the signs for GE members and ended up waiting in line to see a CBP agent (Crews use the same booth IIRC).

Ironically travellers who use the normal kiosks are directed in a separate line that leads to two officers just standing by their podiums (no computers there) and giving out entry stamps.

Thoughts? GE at MIA is definitely not as advertised.
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Old Jun 4, 2016, 3:04 am
  #82  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Kingdom of Bahrain
Programs: GE, UA silver, Amex Plat, SPG Gold, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 24
Soon will be my first US re-entry at ORD..... trying to figure out if there are any quirks about their GE kiosks, locations, etc..... UA arrival concourse.
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Old Jun 5, 2016, 10:30 am
  #83  
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 209
Originally Posted by DebbieT11
Soon will be my first US re-entry at ORD..... trying to figure out if there are any quirks about their GE kiosks, locations, etc..... UA arrival concourse.
Came into ORD Terminal 5 earlier this year on United. After walking a long way there were 5 Global Entry terminals.....3 were out of service so line backed up. There was no signs telling people that additional terminals were only about 50 yards ahead. I made suggestion at GE office that signage should be provided...no idea if ever implemented.

Otherwise customs exit was fast.
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Old Jun 5, 2016, 12:10 pm
  #84  
nrr
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I'm in GE and cleared at ORD a few months ago (I usually arrive at JFK T8). Once you negotiated the maze of lines and signs, there are a set of GE terminals (NOT clearly marked), if you miss these there is another set, but you will wind up back-tracking. Normally my picture on the GE slip only shows the top of my head; at JFK they always want to see my pp, at ORD they didn't seem to care.
Many of the GE lines in ORD are NOT clearly marked, but otherwise it seemed better than JFK.
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Old Jun 6, 2016, 5:54 am
  #85  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Kingdom of Bahrain
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LOL.. so it sounds like I should get off the plane and wander around a while until i find the GE kiosks, right? Crazy, but thanks, apparently people figure it out, but it would be so nice to have some helpful signage, wouldn't it?

Appreciate the assist.
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Old Jun 6, 2016, 1:42 pm
  #86  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: The Sunshine State
Posts: 145
Signage for Global has always been skinny in my experience - Now i just go to the shortest line or no line at all - 9 out of 10 times ( literally) it's the way to a GE machine.
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Old Jun 14, 2016, 5:17 am
  #87  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 65
Originally Posted by Yoshi212
Either people are very stupid/uninterested so they don't pay attention, the CBP officers aren't doing a good job (my experiences says no to this one) or some variation of a combination...
I was just given a small brochure on how to use a kiosk. That was it. My whole interview lasted 5-7 minutes. More stress was given to "don't say no to everything - answer each question on the kiosk separately" but I wasn't told how to use the kiosk. I was handed 3 brochures at the end and told to read these.
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Old Jun 14, 2016, 8:26 am
  #88  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 848
Originally Posted by madison8
Came into ORD Terminal 5 earlier this year on United. After walking a long way there were 5 Global Entry terminals.....3 were out of service so line backed up. There was no signs telling people that additional terminals were only about 50 yards ahead. I made suggestion at GE office that signage should be provided...no idea if ever implemented.

Otherwise customs exit was fast.
Originally Posted by nrr
I'm in GE and cleared at ORD a few months ago (I usually arrive at JFK T8). Once you negotiated the maze of lines and signs, there are a set of GE terminals (NOT clearly marked), if you miss these there is another set, but you will wind up back-tracking. Normally my picture on the GE slip only shows the top of my head; at JFK they always want to see my pp, at ORD they didn't seem to care.
Many of the GE lines in ORD are NOT clearly marked, but otherwise it seemed better than JFK.
Thanks for this information. There's GE by both OneStop Lanes coming in from each of the concourses and then a grouping in the center of the main hall.

I'll pass this along at our next meeting that additional signage needs to be added.
ords is offline  
Old Aug 3, 2016, 10:49 am
  #89  
 
Join Date: May 2010
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I couldn't find the exact site for posting this, but since I recently underwent the interview process (after flying to Newark for $508), I thought I'd tell my story of first time use coming home from Greece to BOS. The kiosks were clearly marked apart from other lanes, and I had read my mini handbook. Beware, however, if you have arthritic hands and fingers like me. It kept telling it me the read on my last two fingers was bad or fair. At some point it may also have told me to look up for my photo but I was too busy trying to get the fingerprints. It ended up giving me my slip of paper with half my face (bottom part) cut off and glasses on. The way out in BOS is through the same lane as used by crew and diplomats so it was a breeze. And the agent had no problem at all with my half face -- he even joked that it did indeed look like the top of my head!
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Old Aug 3, 2016, 1:17 pm
  #90  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
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Originally Posted by yolandearagon
I couldn't find the exact site for posting this...
I've relocated your post to the appropriate thread.

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
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