We have some quick airport security tips to help your time in airports feel more enjoyable. We like to take advantage of some programs to get us through security faster. Three of the ways we do that are using our TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, and CLEAR memberships. The really great thing is that we can get these memberships for free or cheap with certain credit cards. So not only will we earn welcome-offer points, earn points for using our cards, and get possible airport lounge access, but they can even help us speed through security! What’s not to love about that? Let’s look at each program individually and the cards that will pay for them. Want to learn more about these tips? Listen to this episode of our PODCAST!

 

TSA PreCheck®

This is the easiest way to get through security quickly.  It is really easy to apply. Just head to the TSA site and fill out the online application. It will cost you about $78, but several credit cards will cover that charge in the form of a statement credit if you charge the fee on them. (More on which credit cards they are later.)

After your application is approved, they will assign you a 10-minute background check and fingerprint-taking appointment at a site near you. They will then give you a Known Traveler Number to add to all your flight information when booking flights. The great thing is that once you’ve added it to your reservation with an airline, you don’t have to do it again for that airline. Easy, peasy, and you are on your way to breezing through security.

It really is so, so easy. My husband still hasn’t done it, though, and I’m always waiting for him at the gate for quite a while. It just doesn’t make sense not to take the little bit of time it takes to join because it makes airline travel faster and easier. No need to move shoes, laptops, liquids, belts, or light jackets. And the $78 membership lasts five years!! Credit cards that will pay for the membership include:

 

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Business
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Citi® AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
• United℠ Explorer Card
• United Club℠ Infinite Card
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

 

I love TSA PreCheck® and am so happy that several of my cards will pay for it, so I never have to! Most cards will pay up to $120 for either TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry. TSA PreCheck® is one of my favorite quick airport security tips.

One great benefit of the statement credit these cards offer is that it doesn’t matter whose TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee you’re paying for; the statement credit will appear on your statement whether it’s for your own application or someone else’s.  So if you have more than one card that offers this benefit and you have a parent, sibling, or adult child who could use TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry, you can charge your own application fee on one card and charge theirs on a different card and get the statement credit for both.  (And remember, children under 18 are now free!)

 

 

Global Entry

Another quick airport security tip is to have Global Entry. This membership is not quite as popular as TSA PreCheck® because it costs a little more and takes more planning to acquire, but I use it a lot because I travel internationally quite a bit. It lets me bypass long immigration lines when I return to the United States, and I would not travel without it. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. You apply online.  Additionally, you have to pay $120, but if you pay with the right credit card, that amount will be credited to you. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will schedule an interview for you after you are accepted. This interview occurs at a Global Entry Enrollment Center. These appointments may need to be scheduled quite a bit in advance, so don’t plan on getting Global Entry right before international travel. At the interview, they will:

• ask you questions,
• take your photo, and
• collect biometric information (e.g., scan your fingerprints).

You will need to bring your valid passport(s) and one other form of identification, such as a driver’s license or ID card, to the interview.

There is another way to get your interview, and I’ve used this method successfully before. I scheduled an interview at Denver International Airport, but it was months away, so I decided to try Enrollment on Arrival. Enrollment on Arrival allows you to interview without an appointment at an airport upon arriving back in the United States from an international destination. I did this at San Francisco International Airport when I returned home from London one time.

Global Entry costs $120 and lasts for five years. Instead of waiting in long immigration lines, you go to a kiosk, answer a few questions, have an immigration officer verify your passport, and you are on your way. I love Global Entry!

Credit cards that provide a credit for that $120 fee include the same cards that give you TSA credit. If you travel internationally, get Global Entry because it also includes TSA PreCheck. You do not need to get both. However, you need a passport to get Global Entry, and it takes longer to get the interview unless you try Enrollment on Arrival.

 

CLEAR

If you think TSA PreCheck® is fast, then CLEAR membership is like going through security on steroids—even faster than TSA PreCheck® a lot of the time. At my home airport of Denver, I often just go through the TSA PreCheck® line because our CLEAR line is usually slow, but at other airports that may be reversed.

You still will want TSA PreCheck® and not CLEAR alone, though. CLEAR is available in most major airports, but not every airport. There are 50+ sites where you can use your membership, including some major stadiums/venues. You apply online or at the airport. (They often offer a 3-month free trial.) I love that I don’t have to show my ID because CLEAR uses your facial biometrics or fingerprint recognition. The cost for one person is $199 a year and $119 each for up to three additional family members. Family members under 18 years old can always join you in the CLEAR Lane for free. ‍Here are ways to get this cost covered with a credit card.

 

Bottom Line

We can all agree that waiting in line at an airport is not fun.  Luckily, there are a few ways to make it all less painful. TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, and CLEAR relieve the pain of waiting in lines. Access to a good airport lounge takes the pain out of waiting at the gate. Hopefully, you have credit cards that help you bypass both!