Both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry promise to get you through the airport faster, and both involve an application, a fee, and a background check — but they solve different problems, cost different amounts, and take different amounts of time to actually get approved. Here's what each one does, what it actually costs right now, and realistic expectations for how long approval takes.
What Each Program Actually Does
TSA PreCheck gets you into an expedited domestic security lane at the airport: in most cases you keep your shoes, light jacket, and belt on, and leave laptops and compliant liquids in your bag. It only applies to going through security at U.S. airports — it has nothing to do with international arrivals.
Global Entry is about the other end of an international trip: expedited customs processing when you land back in the U.S. from abroad. Instead of the standard customs line, Global Entry members use a kiosk or mobile process that typically takes well under five minutes. Global Entry also automatically includes TSA PreCheck at no extra cost — so Global Entry members get both benefits under one membership.
What Each One Actually Costs
As of 2026, the TSA PreCheck application fee is $78 for a five-year membership (renewal fees can run slightly lower if done online). Global Entry costs $120 for a five-year membership. Since Global Entry includes PreCheck automatically, the practical price difference between the two is smaller than the headline numbers suggest — you're paying roughly $42 more for Global Entry to also get the customs-expediting benefit on top of PreCheck. A number of travel rewards credit cards reimburse one or the other application fee as a cardholder perk, which can make either effectively free if you're already carrying one of those cards.
How Long Approval Actually Takes
These two programs differ a lot here, and it's worth setting expectations accurately rather than assuming either one is instant.
TSA PreCheck
After submitting the online application, you schedule a short in-person enrollment appointment to verify identity and provide fingerprints. Most applicants hear back within about three to five business days after that appointment, though TSA notes it can occasionally take up to 60 days. Once approved, the Known Traveler Number is generally emailed within about a week of the appointment.
Global Entry
Global Entry is a two-stage process: a background-check-based conditional approval, followed by a short in-person interview at an enrollment center (or, at some airports, an "Enrollment on Arrival" option that lets conditionally-approved applicants complete the interview on return from an international trip instead of booking a separate appointment). Conditional approval timing and interview availability both vary a lot depending on application volume and your specific enrollment center — published estimates commonly range from a couple of months to the better part of a year in total, and that range is wide because wait times swing significantly by location: some smaller enrollment centers can schedule an interview within days, while busy, high-demand centers have shown waits stretching to several months. If you're applying for Global Entry with a specific trip in mind, the honest planning assumption is that it may not be ready in time, so apply as far ahead as you can and treat early approval as a bonus rather than something to count on.
Which One Should You Actually Get
If you only ever fly domestically, TSA PreCheck covers everything you'd use Global Entry for, at the lower price and the faster approval timeline. If you fly internationally even occasionally, Global Entry is generally the better value: it includes PreCheck, so you're not paying for two separate memberships, and the customs-line time savings on international arrivals can be substantial, especially at large hub airports. The main trade-off is the longer and less predictable approval timeline, which is the biggest argument for applying well before you actually need it rather than waiting until a trip is already booked.
How to Actually Apply
Both programs start with an online application (TSA PreCheck through TSA's enrollment site or an authorized provider; Global Entry through the Department of Homeland Security's Trusted Traveler Programs site), followed by scheduling an in-person appointment once your application clears initial review. For Global Entry, check appointment availability at multiple nearby enrollment centers rather than only the closest one — wait times can differ significantly between centers that are a reasonable drive apart. Pack a valid passport (for Global Entry) or another acceptable ID, and have your application reference number handy for the appointment.
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