Is Global Entry worthwhile?

I understand the UK citizens can now apply for GlobalEntry. I began the application process on the GlobalEntry website, entered my citizenship as UK and I was then asked for a Promotional Code. Can anyone tell me where I can get this? Thanks.

You've pretty much nailed down the difference. Is $50 + better access to Canada worth the extra hassle of making it to a NEXUS interview? Only you can decide.

(In my case, I decided that it was and just arranged an interview in Detroit while I was in town for other reasons, so the hassle factor was minimal -- given the limited hours for GE enrollment at BOS, it was probably easier than it would have been to get GE here.)

So I am trying to decide between NEXUS and GE. I live in Cleveland so I am going to have to travel either way for the interview and it looks like Detroit is the closest for either. I am also routinely in Denver so I could set up a GE interview there if needed.

I'm trying to decide if there are any benefits to doing one vs the other since I have to travel for both. To me it looks like NEXUS gives me all the GE benefits at half the price. Am I missing something? Thanks!

You're not missing anything. You're better off applying for NEXUS. You get all the GE benefits + PreCheck + expedited entry into Canada for $50.

The NEXUS office in Detroit is really easy to find, it's under the Ambassador Bridge on the American side. Also, it's open 6 days a week (Mon-Sat).

Be aware, you have to pass both the Canadian and American background checks, so if you have a DUI on your record, NEXUS is a no go.

If you have no business in canada or you don't visit that country why should you waste your time and apply for nexus. just apply for GE and the extra $50 you will spend on GE will compensate for you the difference of additional cost to travel to the nearest nexus center.

Warning about coming into IAD on Global Entry. I got through passport control in 3 minutes, no line at customs but then faced a 40 minute wait to go through security. No priority line. Makes no sense to me.

Thank God some of us live near IAD and never have to deal with this problem. But you could just exit the airport by taking the Aerotrain to the Main Terminal and then re-entering the secure area through the TSA pre-check lane. That lane rarely has more than 2 people in it (except during the Monday morning rush) and has never taken me more than 60 seconds to pass through. The elapsed total extra time to do this would be about 15-20 minutes, but never 40 minutes (unless you fly in to IAD on Monday morning).

There used to be a priority line. Did they remove it?

A plane mate, not the AeroTrain, would take you to the Main Terminal, but your point is a good one.

(EDITED)

You are talking about the "moon buggies," right? If so, you are correct. There are two routes to go through immigration, customs, and security arriving from an overseas flight. One is to walk (or in some cases, take a moon buggy) to the Midfield Terminal immigration facility and the other is to take the moon buggy to the Main Terminal. What I meant to say was to choose NOT to go through security in the Midfield Terminal (C-gates) or in the IAB in the Main Terminal (after customs) but to bypass the long security lines for connecting flights and use TSA pre-check instead. If you see the regular security lines are short, you can just disregard this alternative. The Metropolitan Washington Airports website states:

We have two U.S. Customs and Border Protection locations: The International Arrivals Building (IAB) in the Main Terminal and a Transfer facility in the C-Gates.

All International passengers whose destination is Washington will board a mobile lounge and ride to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) at the Main Terminal to clear U.S. Customs. If someone is meeting your arrival, he/she can wait for you on the Arrivals (baggage claim) level near the carousel #15 sign.

In general, International passengers arriving in the C-Gates who are connecting to another flight will be directed from the gate to U.S. Customs in the C-Gates. Some connecting passengers may be directed to the IAB depending on the time of day or your airline's procedures.

International passengers arriving in the A or B-gates who are connecting to another flight will board a mobile lounge to U.S. Customs in the C-Gates or to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) at the Main Terminal to clear U.S. Customs, depending on their airline's procedures.

Note: International passengers arriving from select countries may have already pre-cleared U.S. Customs at the point of departure. Through this system, travelers are treated as domestic passengers upon arrival and will deplane directly into the Concourse. From there passengers can go directly to their connecting flight or to the Main Terminal and exit the airport.

Realize this only works if you don't have checked luggage, or if your luggage is short-checked to IAD (e.g., IAD is the final destination listed on the luggage tag), because if the airline makes use of the mid-field customs facility under the C-gates for connecting passengers, the bags are delivered to the two international baggage claim areas depending on how they are tagged. Connecting baggage gets sent to the mid-field concourse, while baggage destined for IAD gets sent to the Main Terminal.

If you were to go to the Main Terminal but your bags were tagged through to your final destination that is not IAD, they will be stranded at the mid-field concourse baggage claim. I'm sure UA has a procedure to deal with this, because I imagine there are at least one or two passengers who make this mistake on a daily basis (and one or two bags daily that get sent to the wrong baggage claim...), but I definitely wouldn't expect your checked bags to arrive at the same time as you do at your final destination.

That is great IF you know that ahead of time! I had other issues trying to recheck my bags but that is a WHOLE other story.

I am still confused when I would use it. Not from Canada (Nexus) and not traveling from Mexico (Sentri). I use GE and my passport when coming from other countries to the US, so what is the card for again?

You can use it at TSA checkpoints for ID. Also, if the GE machines are down, you might need to show it to CBP to get front-of-line privileges.

To add on on what couple of posters mentioned above about IAD:

Only those arriving on Star Alliance Flights connecting on a United or US Airways are allowed to transfer through the FIS. Even then, South African, Turkish maybe even Avianca and Ethopian sends everybody through the Main International Building. Any other airline and everyone clears through the International Arrivals Building even if you are connecting on a United Flight.

I am at the connecting desk a good amount and see a good amount of passengers who go up that should have gotten on the mobile Lounges to the Main International Arrivals Building. So it does happen. It is usually Foreigners that do not follow the right signs. There has also been Americans or English Speakers who just did not follow the right signs. United tells them to pick up their luggage at the United Baggage Office( Main Terminal behind Baggage Claim 3).

If you have Global Entry, Precheck and just carrying on, you could take the Mobile Lounge to the IAB and going through Pre-Check for the connecting flight. Otherwise, it is going to be a pain in the butt. This of course you are flying on a Star Alliance flight. The luggage goes to FIS. It takes time to resolve that situation. I would bite the bullet and take my chances on the FIS Security Line.