Blog 75: Tips for Expedited Security Screening
Hi all and Welcome back to Brooke In The Air!
Today is a bit of a short blog but very informative! I present four great methods for quick access through airport security!
Official logo of TSA Precheck
TSA Precheck
A government program that opened for enrollment in 2013, it provides a separate security screening lane for approved passengers. Travelers with TSA PreCheck don't have to take off their shoes, belts, or light jackets when going through security. They're also spared the task of digging out their laptops and liquids from their carry-on luggage, which makes for an easier and faster process. Only domestic members are allowed.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lists dozens of credit cards that either include TSA PreCheck as a member benefit, allow card holders to use their credit card points to pay for enrollment, or reimburse the enrollment fee. Those cards include some airline credit cards (United, Southwest, Delta), MasterCard's Gold and Black cards, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture and Venture X, Bank of America Premium Rewards, and others.
As of 2023, a decade after TSA PreCheck enrollment opened, the program had 32 million members.
Cost: $78 USD. Average Wait Time: 4-8 weeks.
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CLEAR+
Official privatized corporate logo for Clear+
There’s CLEAR® Plus, formerly just CLEAR. a privately-owned company that provides biometric identification services. Its program, CLEAR Plus, accelerates traveler identification by using biometrics instead of traditional identification methods. Dedicated CLEAR Plus lanes at airports have kiosks that perform iris or fingerprint scans to confirm your identity, bypassing the regular TSA document check queue. CLEAR Plus doesn’t include TSA PreCheck, so you’ll still be subject to standard screening requirements such as taking off your shoes or removing your laptop and liquids from your bags at security. If you want the benefits of TSA PreCheck’s reduced screening requirements, you’ll need to enroll in TSA PreCheck in addition to CLEAR Plus.
Customer-facing Clear+ logo
Many airports offer a separate CLEAR Plus checkpoint for those with TSA PreCheck or will funnel those with TSA PreCheck through to the correct security line. While CLEAR Plus registration is limited to adults 18 and older, children can use the service when traveling with a registered adult. Note that children do not have to be related to the accompanying adult to use CLEAR Plus.
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Official NEXUS logo
Nexus
Via TSA, The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travelers expedited processing when entering the United States and Canada. Program members use dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry, NEXUS kiosks when entering Canada by air and Global Entry kiosks when entering the United States via Canadian Preclearance airports. NEXUS members also receive expedited processing at marine reporting locations. Note that this is only for Canada and U.S. entry and re-entry. NEXUS is run by both nations, which means applicants must be interviewed by border patrol officers from both Canada and the U.S. as part of the approval process. Like Global Entry, anyone who wants to use NEXUS, including infants and children, must register for NEXUS. Dedicated NEXUS and SENTRI lanes are available at U.S.-Canada land border crossings, typically coinciding with the busiest crossings in New York, Michigan and Washington (with a handful of other locations). SENTRI is fundamentally the same now as NEXUS.
Canadian side of NEXUS
Cost: Varies but usually around $80 USD. Average Processing Time: 4-6 weeks.
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Official emblem of Global Entry
Global Entry
And lastly, Global Entry. If you've ever arrived on an international flight carrying 500 passengers, you know that the customs line can be brutally long. And after you've endured many hours of traveling, perhaps even a couple layovers, waiting in line to reenter your own country is the last thing you want. This is where Global Entry comes in handy.
Combination photo, with Global Entry comes all the privileges of TSA Precheck
The Global Entry line is guaranteed to be shorter, if there's one at all, and instead of meeting with a customs agent, Global Entry holders simply scan their documents at an automated kiosk that typically takes a fraction of the time. Ready to have your homecoming expedited for all your future travels? Global Entry is a program run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection that helps Americans avoid the customs line when coming back into the country and when entering other countries where a Global Entry kiosk is available. Travelers who have gone through the application and screening process are able to reenter the U.S. by just checking in at an electronic kiosk. There is no paperwork to mail in and rarely a line at the airport, so Global Entry holders often end up reunited with their luggage etc. as a result of their membership. ravelers approved for Global Entry also get TSA PreCheck. So, in addition to getting back into the country (and into other select countries) faster, you'll gain access to shorter security lines and streamlined screening before your flight. Once you're approved for the program, you'll receive a nine-digit Known Traveler Number or "PASSID" (the Known Traveler Number is for TSA PreCheck, and it becomes a PASSID when the member has Global Entry and PreCheck). You can then add your PASSID to your frequent flier profiles to use when booking flights. TSA PreCheck expedites your security process when entering the airport, whereas Global Entry eases your customs experience when returning to the U.S. However, Global Entry travelers qualify for PreCheck as a perk of their Global Entry status. Global Entry essentially gets you PreCheck and then some — and it costs just $22 more than TSA PreCheck alone. It costs $100 (nonrefundable, even if you're denied) to apply for Global Entry, and that fee covers you for five years. However, you may be able to get Global Entry for free, or even help a friend or family member do so, just by using a certain credit card.
Cost: $100 USD. Average Processing Time: 6 weeks to 5 months.
Those are your options for getting through security!
