TSA Precheck and Global Entry are two programs that can help you skip the lines in crowded airports. They’re not free, but some travel credit cards offer reimbursement for membership as a travel perk. A lot of these cards are premium travel cards that have several-hundred-dollar annual fees, but there are also some more affordable options available.
While all credit cards with TSA Precheck and Global Entry perks offer the same monetary credit for these programs, we’ve analyzed these cards’ rewards programs, welcome bonuses, annual fees and other travel perks to distinguish the best picks. Below, we explain the benefits of TSA Precheck and Global Entry, review the best credit card options, how to choose between TSA Precheck and Global Entry, and how to apply to each.
What are TSA Precheck and Global Entry?
Both travel programs allow you to cut through some of the red tape at the airport and can improve your travel experience. Here’s what they offer and how they differ.
TSA Precheck costs $85 for five years and offers a dedicated security line to expedite members through. You also don’t have to remove your shoes, belt, laptop, acceptable liquids or jackets as you go through airport security.
Global Entry costs $100 for five years and focuses more on US citizens arriving back in the States after a trip abroad. It expedites the path through customs for those who are deemed low-risk for security issues. Global Entry clearance also includes clearance for TSA Precheck, so you get the value of both programs for just $15 more.
With both programs, you need to be preapproved before heading to the airport.
Read more: Best American Airlines Credit Cards
- Intro Offer
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75,000 miles Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Annual fee
- $95
- APR
- 20.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
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670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
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2x – 5x Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options; Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card* strikes the best balance between annual fee, TSA Precheck or Global Entry Credit and rewards program. The cost is $95 annually, but that fee will be worth it for many travelers. The welcome bonus -- 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months as a cardholder -- is worth $750 if you redeem it for travel. Meanwhile, the 2x miles rewards rate on all of your purchases is both competitive and simple.
You get up to a $100 credit toward either TSA Precheck or Global Entry -- but not both (this is the case with all of the picks on this list). You can renew this membership and get a new statement credit every four years.
This card also grants you two visits to Capital One Lounges throughout the year, though these lounges are currently only open at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport. Two more are scheduled to open in 2023, at Denver (DEN) and Washington DC (IAD).
For more information, see our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 20.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at this Transfer APR
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card* strikes the best balance between annual fee, TSA Precheck or Global Entry Credit and rewards program. The cost is $95 annually, but that fee will be worth it for many travelers. The welcome bonus -- 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months as a cardholder -- is worth $750 if you redeem it for travel. Meanwhile, the 2x miles rewards rate on all of your purchases is both competitive and simple.
You get up to a $100 credit toward either TSA Precheck or Global Entry -- but not both (this is the case with all of the picks on this list). You can renew this membership and get a new statement credit every four years.
This card also grants you two visits to Capital One Lounges throughout the year, though these lounges are currently only open at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport. Two more are scheduled to open in 2023, at Denver (DEN) and Washington DC (IAD).
For more information, see our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 20.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at this Transfer APR
- Intro Offer
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20,000 bonus miles 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,500 within 90 days of account opening.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 16.24% – 25.24% Variable
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- N/A
- Rewards rate
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1x miles – 2x miles Earn 2x miles per $1 spent on airfare, car rentals, and hotels.; Earn 1x miles per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
The Truist Enjoy Travel Credit Card* is a rare card that both offers TSA Precheck or a Global Entry credit and has no annual fee. Since this card is all upside, you could apply purely for the credit, but can also earn rewards on your purchases to redeem for cash back, gift cards or merchandise. While the rewards rates aren’t as strong as other cash-back credit cards, it’s still a great pick for those looking to skip the lines at airport security.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 16.24% – 25.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
The Truist Enjoy Travel Credit Card* is a rare card that both offers TSA Precheck or a Global Entry credit and has no annual fee. Since this card is all upside, you could apply purely for the credit, but can also earn rewards on your purchases to redeem for cash back, gift cards or merchandise. While the rewards rates aren’t as strong as other cash-back credit cards, it’s still a great pick for those looking to skip the lines at airport security.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 16.24% – 25.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
- Intro Offer
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75,000 miles Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Annual fee
- $395
- APR
- 21.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
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800 – 850
Excellent
- Rewards rate
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2x – 10x Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.; Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card* is both the youngest and least expensive of premium travel cards -- those that cost several hundred dollars annually in exchange for more luxurious travel benefits. The annual fee is $395, which you can mostly offset if you can use the $300 annual travel statement credit you can earn automatically when booking travel through the Capital One Travel portal. A 10,000 miles bonus -- worth $100 toward travel -- is also awarded to you at each account anniversary.
Otherwise, the flat rewards rate and welcome bonus are identical to that of the Capital One Venture card, but you’ll get extra rewards if you book hotels, rental cars or flights through Capital One Travel. Like the other card picks, you can earn a statement credit up to $100 toward TSA Precheck or Global Entry every four years, if you use your Venture X card when applying.
For more information, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture X Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at this Transfer APR
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card* is both the youngest and least expensive of premium travel cards -- those that cost several hundred dollars annually in exchange for more luxurious travel benefits. The annual fee is $395, which you can mostly offset if you can use the $300 annual travel statement credit you can earn automatically when booking travel through the Capital One Travel portal. A 10,000 miles bonus -- worth $100 toward travel -- is also awarded to you at each account anniversary.
Otherwise, the flat rewards rate and welcome bonus are identical to that of the Capital One Venture card, but you’ll get extra rewards if you book hotels, rental cars or flights through Capital One Travel. Like the other card picks, you can earn a statement credit up to $100 toward TSA Precheck or Global Entry every four years, if you use your Venture X card when applying.
For more information, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture X Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at this Transfer APR
- Intro Offer
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60,000 points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Annual fee
- $550
- APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
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800 – 850
Excellent
- Rewards rate
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1x – 10x Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.; Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.; Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.; Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the best rewards of premium travel credit cards. Though it’s more expensive than the Venture X at $550 annually, the $300 annual statement credit for travel is much more widely applicable since you don’t have to book your travel through Chase in order to earn it.
The welcome bonus and rewards earn you Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can redeem these points for 50% more than their cash-back value if you redeem them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. So, for instance: The Sapphire Reserve’s welcome bonus earns you 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months. While this can be redeemed for a statement credit for $600, it’s worth $900 when redeemed as travel points through Chase’s portal.
In addition to the up to $100 statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years, you also get Priority Pass Select membership that lets you visit over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. For more details about the rewards and travel perks, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the best rewards of premium travel credit cards. Though it’s more expensive than the Venture X at $550 annually, the $300 annual statement credit for travel is much more widely applicable since you don’t have to book your travel through Chase in order to earn it.
The welcome bonus and rewards earn you Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can redeem these points for 50% more than their cash-back value if you redeem them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. So, for instance: The Sapphire Reserve’s welcome bonus earns you 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months. While this can be redeemed for a statement credit for $600, it’s worth $900 when redeemed as travel points through Chase’s portal.
In addition to the up to $100 statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years, you also get Priority Pass Select membership that lets you visit over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. For more details about the rewards and travel perks, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
- Intro Offer
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Earn 80,000 points Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Annual fee
- $695
- APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
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670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
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5x – 5x Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.; Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
The Platinum Card from American Express isn’t known for its rewards -- but it makes up for it with its extensive credits, including (you guessed it) a credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry. If you can take advantage of some of the other credits, then you should be able to make up for the $695 annual fee. Some of the other travel-related credits include:
- Up to $189 statement credit for CLEAR® membership each year. Whereas TSA Precheck expedites physical screenings at airports, Clear expedites your document processing by scanning and recognizing your face and eyes. Clear must be renewed every year, which your Platinum Amex will reimburse you for.
- Unlimited access to participating locations in the Global Lounge Collection for you and up to two guests, depending on the lounge and location. This includes AmEx Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and more. With over 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries, The Platinum Amex has more access to airport lounges than the other cards on this list.
- Up to $200 airline fee statement credit per calendar year. This doesn’t include flight costs themselves, but will cover incidental travel fees on one selected qualifying airline, including things like checked bags and in-flight refreshments.
To read about the other annual credits this card offers, check out our full review of The Platinum Card from American Express.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
The Platinum Card from American Express isn’t known for its rewards -- but it makes up for it with its extensive credits, including (you guessed it) a credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry. If you can take advantage of some of the other credits, then you should be able to make up for the $695 annual fee. Some of the other travel-related credits include:
- Up to $189 statement credit for CLEAR® membership each year. Whereas TSA Precheck expedites physical screenings at airports, Clear expedites your document processing by scanning and recognizing your face and eyes. Clear must be renewed every year, which your Platinum Amex will reimburse you for.
- Unlimited access to participating locations in the Global Lounge Collection for you and up to two guests, depending on the lounge and location. This includes AmEx Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and more. With over 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries, The Platinum Amex has more access to airport lounges than the other cards on this list.
- Up to $200 airline fee statement credit per calendar year. This doesn’t include flight costs themselves, but will cover incidental travel fees on one selected qualifying airline, including things like checked bags and in-flight refreshments.
To read about the other annual credits this card offers, check out our full review of The Platinum Card from American Express.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
Should I get TSA Precheck or Global Entry?
If you can benefit from both programs, you should opt for Global Entry since it also offers you access to TSA Precheck. However, Global Entry has a stricter approval process, so if you mostly fly domestically and don’t want to deal with additional scrutiny, TSA Precheck is a better option.
How to apply for TSA Precheck
To apply for TSA Precheck, you first have to submit an online application. This should take about five minutes to complete. Once you submit your application, you must follow up by scheduling an appointment at an enrollment center (locations found within the application). The enrollment center will take your fingerprints for a background check, and should take about 10 minutes.
Once you’re approved for TSA Precheck, enter your dedicated “Known Traveler Number” to your flight bookings or your frequent flyer accounts to speed through security. Remember, you’ll have to renew your membership every five years, and you’ll want to pay the fee with the right credit card to earn the statement credit.
How to apply for Global Entry
The application for Global Entry is a little more stringent, but if you’re approved, you’ll be cleared for TSA Precheck as well. It requires a rigorous background check and an in-person interview, to be completed at one of 380-plus enrollment centers across the country. If you’ve had trouble with the law in any country, you’re unlikely to be approved for this security clearance.
To use the Global Entry feature, visit the designated Global Entry kiosks in applicable airports when arriving back to the US. These automated kiosks verify your passport, fingerprints and customs documentation. Once verified, the Global Entry member can go to the baggage claim to pick up their luggage and leave.
Global Entry membership lasts for five years, and you’re able to submit your renewed application once you are 365 days or fewer to your membership expiration date. Being approved for Global Entry also gives you access to TSA Precheck. Simply enter your Global Entry member number into the “Known Traveler Number” when booking your flights.
FAQs
TSA Precheck costs $85 and lasts for five years. Global Entry costs $100 for a five-year membership.
Some airline credit cards that offer a TSA Precheck or Global Entry credit include:
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
- United Club℠ Infinite Card
- United℠ Explorer Card
- United Quest℠ Card
Some hotel credit cards that offer a TSA Precheck or Global Entry credit include:
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Expedia Rewards Voyager Card from Citi
If you have children that are 12 or younger, they can accompany a parent or guardian through the TSA Precheck lane at airport security. Children older than 12 are eligible to get their own TSA Precheck clearance.
When it comes to Global Entry, every person that comes through -- regardless of age -- must have Global Entry membership.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card from American Express, click here.
*All information about the Truist Enjoy Travel Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
