Global Entry Permits--Worth $100??

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nwsteve

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I search ER.org and most recent posts were from 2013. Curious if board members have any new perspective to share on the value of purchasing the Global Entry (GOES) permits to facilitate fast track customs and immigration controls.
I checked out Flyertalk.com and got a "mixed bag" with many people reporting often not receiving "fast track" designations on their air tickets.
We fly internationally a couple times year and find little joy in enduring the "cattle drive" mentality, especially in Heathrow.
Recent experiences from board members would be appreciated.
Nwsteve
 
The short answer is it depends how often you fly to the US or within the US.

Personally, the Global Entry aspect is nice, but only marginal improvement over most customs and immigration at major US international hubs. You move much faster through the in-bound entry lines to clear once you've landed in the US; but most non-US airports this wouldn't make a difference on exit immigration. In most places, you would only get priority out-bound screening if you're flying business/first or are a premium level frequent flyer on the airline or alliance in question. That said, we have found GOES helpful in returning to US from some intl destinations where the US customs are forward-deployed to the airport locations, mostly Canada, Ireland and a handful of others, incl Bahamas etc. Helps alot there IMO

However, GOES also comes with automatic TSA-Pre at all US domestic locations - and that is VERY worthwhile, IMO. Not taking off shoes, belt or removing laptops, etc from bags is great and expedites things significantly.

Also,
 
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We got them in January. I travel for work, so having TSA Pre-check has been an excellent benefit. We haven't actually been out of the country this year, so I can't say anything about the customs/immigration process.

We wouldn't have paid $100, but we got a credit card that offers to rebate the fees for up to two people as one of its perks, so then it was a no-brainer. The CC is Wells Fargo Visa Signature By Invitation. It's also a real chip-and-pin card, which was important to us as we do plan to travel more soon.

Funny thing to me was that I have a security clearance issued by DHS, for which the background investigation was much more in depth than the global entry card. I find it a bit disturbing that Homeland Security can't connect the dots and the customs guy doing the global entry interview had to ask me why my fingerprints were already on file with his agency.
 
GOES is good for 5 years before a renewal, if that makes any difference in the cost/benefit calculation.

omni
 
Been thinking about it myself - might make sense for business trips when I have carry-on, but it seems that when I check luggage in, no matter quickly I get though the first stage, I'm still waiting for luggage on the baggage carousel...
 
Mom was lucky enough to be randomly selected for pre-check/expedited on a couple of flights (one domestic and one international). On the international flight, companions got included on the fast track line. Super, super, super convenient. Thing is, we fly once every 3-5 years so for us, doesn't seem like it's worth the $400 for the entire family.
 
I travel a lot domestically and a little internationally. Well worth it for me. True you still have to wait for checked bags but you then literally just walk through customs handing over your paper that printed out at passport check( while the clueless people who thought it was a short line are turned away)
 
Sarah S said:
I travel a lot domestically and a little internationally. Well worth it for me. True you still have to wait for checked bags but you then literally just walk through customs handing over your paper that printed out at passport check( while the clueless people who thought it was a short line are turned away)
Click to expand...

I must be lucky - I travel to Europe on business about every two months without it. After the wait to get my luggage, the final line to exit is always short - they just grab most everybody's papers and send them on their way - my return points are generally Chicago, Dallas and sometimes Newark.
 
If you're close enough to Canada to get to one of the NEXUS offices, you can get all the benefits of GOES for half the price with a NEXUS card.
 
I love it. I avoid at least an hour to two hours on an international round trip. Especially returning to the U.S. Won't live without it again. (At least as long as I continue to travel).


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
 
I think it's worth it, both for the Global Entry and the Pre-Check...although the pre-check isn't as great as it was about a year ago (they are starting to send *regular* passengers to the pre-check lanes and some don't understand the rules in regards to leaving your shoes on, etc.) Anyway, I think most of the Amex products will give you a credit towards the price of it. All in all, it's worth it to me.
 
Help me on this. DH & I have an appointment for Universal Enrolment which costs $85 each. We do occasionally travel internationally and could go for GOES.

If GOES enrollment includes the Known Traveler (Universal Enrolment) that would likely be a better option.
 
FlyBoy5 said:
I think it's worth it, both for the Global Entry and the Pre-Check...although the pre-check isn't as great as it was about a year ago (they are starting to send *regular* passengers to the pre-check lanes and some don't understand the rules in regards to leaving your shoes on, etc.) Anyway, I think most of the Amex products will give you a credit towards the price of it. All in all, it's worth it to me.
Click to expand...
Make sure you don't have metal on your shoes, though. My mom's shoes had decorative buckles so she still had to remove her shoes as the buckle made the scanner beep. :tongue:
 
A little off subject, but I have noticed that when I upgrade my seat from Coach to Coach+, or whatever the extra leg room is called in Economy, I get Pre-Check. As I am going to upgrade for the leg room on most flights, it's a nice bonus.
 
Brat said:
Help me on this. DH & I have an appointment for Universal Enrolment which costs $85 each. We do occasionally travel internationally and could go for GOES.

If GOES enrollment includes the Known Traveler (Universal Enrolment) that would likely be a better option.
Click to expand...

I think the universal enrollment will be the "new" way to get signed up for these programs. Before, you applied to CBP *(through Nexus, Sentri, etc.) and then once provisionally approved, you had an interview with CBP. As far as I can tell, the UES is a separate system for credentials that are required for some programs under Homeland Security. It appears that you can get your pre-check through them (and then a known traveler number) but I don't see that they do global entry.

https://universalenroll.dhs.gov/servicecode/11115V
 
We've had our Global Entry cards for about a year now. We have been TSA-Pre for all domestic flights. I don't have to take shoes off and computer out, which is fantastic and the benefit I was most interested in. We've had one international flight into LAX. We would have paid $100 just to skip the long lines through customs there. That was a real cattle herd. Instead, we were able to bypass it all, once we figured out where the arrows were pointing, walk right up to the kiosks, and check through in just a minute.

$100 each over 5 years for that convenience is worth it to us, though certainly it is just a luxury.
 
We've had GOES for a couple of years as we travel internationally every year and also fly domestically every year. It does include the known traveler number which I then registered with all the major airlines we fly, and then all the boarding passes we get are pre-approved automatically.

The $100 for 5 years is worth it to us, one of those discretionary expenses it is nice to be able to afford in retirement.
 
We love the tsa designation - has really saved us time and effort. We travel out of country several times a year...and have watched people returning to the US who have global entry walk up to their passport/ security station that had no line while we were in a snaked line of several hundred ( thinking of Dallas airport..not fun!). We want to get the global entry but don't live in one of the cities where you are processed....closest in 150 miles or so...requiring o/n stay. Not sure either of logistics for 2 of us to go at same time as I believe the application is as an individual not a family. The $100 each to us would definitely be worth it though.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
 
We still work, so only one international trip a year. We signed up for Global entry when we first heard about it and scheduled our interview on May 1, 2012, during a layover in Miami.

Nearly every time we've come back into the country since, either DW or I has remarked that that single entry alone made the program worthwhile to us. On a cumulative basis, we have no doubts whatsoever.
 
We've had it a couple of years but really haven't needed to use it as the customs lines coming back into the US seem to be a lot shorter than in previous years (I purposely stay out of NY, DC, Miami for international arrivals if at all possible). Always carry though and it's nice to have the Known Traveler number.


Didn't have to pay the $100 though. United paid it for me and one other person. One of the benefits of having flown 2 million miles with them.
 
Practical considerations aside for the moment, I'm a bit put off by the concept.
TSA/DHS: "We realize that we have created a nightmare for travelers. For lots of reasons, we make people wait a long time at some locations (especially when returning from overseas). Yes,we could make it faster and more efficient, I suppose. Would you like special consideration and a shorter line? Pay us $100. It is up to you."
It only sounds like a "protection racket".
The government has all the information they need to speed me through security, already collected and compiled by other government people at taxpayer expense. Bundling it up for use by TSA/DHS should be on their dime, and a normal part of the process to ID "undesirables" and to reduce the screening time of those who are "okay."
Rant off.
 
itsmyparty said:
We want to get the global entry but don't live in one of the cities where you are processed....closest in 150 miles or so...requiring o/n stay. Not sure either of logistics for 2 of us to go at same time as I believe the application is as an individual not a family. The $100 each to us would definitely be worth it though.
Click to expand...


You schedule the interviews, so you can get two slots in a row for a couple. You also have a fairly wide window of dates in which to schedule the appointment, though I forget the specifics. If you are passing through an airport or city with a Global Entry office you might be able to schedule a time that fits. Not necessarily overnight. It was only an hour or so.
 
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