TSA PreCheck or Global Entry: which should you get?

Get Global Entry if you expect to leave the country even once in the next five years. It costs $120 for five years, includes TSA PreCheck automatically, and adds expedited customs and immigration when you return to the US, which is where the truly ugly lines live. PreCheck alone runs about $78 for the same five years and only covers the domestic security experience: shoes on, laptop in bag, shorter lane.

The catch with Global Entry is onboarding: a background check plus an interview, and appointment backlogs can stretch months, though Enrollment on Arrival lets conditionally approved travelers interview at the airport when landing from abroad. PreCheck enrollment is faster and offered at many locations.

Check your credit cards before paying either fee; many travel cards reimburse it entirely. Families note: children under 12 ride through PreCheck with an enrolled parent, but Global Entry requires every person, infants included, to have their own membership.