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Credit cards that offer free Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
Receive a credit for your application fee every four to five years.
Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
Travelers love Global Entry and TSA PreCheck for helping them avoid long airport lines.
Though these memberships might be well worth their cost, you don’t have to pay for them directly. With the right travel credit card, you can get your application fee reimbursed and clear airport security in no time.
How to get Global Entry and TSA PreCheck free
Some credit cards offer a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application credit once every four or five years. But most of these cards come with an annual fee of $89 and up to $2,500 for the Centurion® Card from American Express. The PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express® Card is one of the rare no-annual-fee cards that offer free Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credits.
Our pick for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
Compare credit cards with Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credits
When choosing a credit card with Global Entry and TSA PreCheck fee credit, take the annual fee into consideration as well as the additional perks and how often you’ll use them.
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Chase Sapphire Reserve® Global Entry
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a fan-favorite travel card. It offers a $100 statement credit every four years for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. This lets you renew your five-year membership well in advance.
The card has a $450 annual fee, but its luxury benefits can help cover some of that cost. Such benefits include a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access and perks at The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection properties.
You can earn accelerated rewards on travel and dining. And when you redeem points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, they’re worth 50% more.
What are the benefits of Global Entry and TSA PreCheck?
Getting Global Entry or TSA PreCheck can be useful if you often fly and hate waiting in airport lines to pass customs or airport security.
Why get Global Entry?
- Expedited passage through customs.
When you arrive via an international flight, skip the customs line and head straight to the Global Entry kiosks. Enter a few details and get a receipt, and you could be zooming to baggage claim.
- Not just in US airports.
You can access Global Entry in select international destinations, such as Abu Dhabi, Canada, Aruba, Bermuda and Guam.
- Get automatic access to TSA PreCheck.
This is one of the reasons many travelers enthusiastically recommend Global Entry. For a slightly higher fee, you get an additional membership.
Why get TSA PreCheck?
- Expedited passage through airport security.
Access the TSA PreCheck lane and get through security faster at eligible US airports. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reports that in January 2019, 94% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited no more than five minutes in the security line. - You don’t have to remove certain items in security.
There’s no need to remove your belt, shoes or light jacket. Also, you don’t have to remove your laptop or liquids from your bag. This makes moving through security much more convenient. - Costs less.
It’s $15 less than a Global Entry membership. You might choose to get only TSA PreCheck if you rarely travel internationally. - Available across the US.
You’ll find TSA PreCheck at more than 200 airports in the US. Your membership is valid with more than 50 airlines, including United, Delta and American.
What’s the difference between Global Entry and TSA PreCheck?
Each program typically gets you through an airport line quicker. Global Entry is for international travelers re-entering the US going through customs, and TSA PreCheck is for domestic travelers going through airport security.
A Global Entry application costs $100, and a TSA PreCheck application costs $85. Both memberships last five years.
Should I apply Global Entry or TSA PreCheck?
Back to topWho can use the Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credit card perk?
Most people use the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit for their own applications, but you can also use it for someone else’s. As long as you use your credit card while paying for the application fee, you should receive a statement credit.
Back to topHow often do you get free Global Entry and TSA PreCheck with your card?
This depends on your card. Some cards give you the credit every four years, while others offer the credit every five years. In American Express’ case, you might even get a credit every four and a half years.
You might want the credit every four years so you can renew Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership well before it expires.
Here are a few cards that offer the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit, and how often you can get the credit.
| Card | How often you get the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit |
|---|---|
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Global Entry credit every 4 years; TSA PreCheck credit every 4.5 years |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | 4 years |
| Citi Prestige® Credit Card | 5 years |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card | $100 Global Entry credit every 4 years; TSA PreCheck credit every 4.5 years |
| Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card | 4 years |
| Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card | 4 years |
| United℠ Explorer Card | 4 years |
| PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express® Card | 5 years |
What do I need to know about free TSA PreCheck and Global Entry?
There are a few small but important details to keep in mind with your complimentary TSA PreCheck and Global Entry statement cards:
- This benefit is a statement credit. That means that while you can apply your statement toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry status, you’re not necessarily guaranteed approval.
- Status and benefit renewal don’t always match. After your first statement redemption, your next statement credit will likely be available before your prior status has expired. Make sure to use it!
- TSA PreCheck is included with Global Entry. TSA PreCheck status is actually included with Global Entry. The tradeoff is a slightly higher application fee for Global Entry and more exacting qualification requirements.
Bottom line
Global Entry can be highly valuable, as you essentially get two memberships for the price of one. If you rarely travel abroad, however, TSA PreCheck might work just fine.
You may also want to consider other travel credit cards that can help you travel in style — from no annual fee products to luxury options.
Frequently asked questions
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Disclaimer
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
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