I love Global Entry! Besides earning frequent flyer miles and getting stamps in my Passport, I can honestly say that having Global Entry is the next best thing I have done as a traveler. Because of the work we do with EMpower Entertainment Group, élan and I have been traveling overseas more often. And after a 10+ hour flight, the last thing I want to do is stand in a long line to clear customs. Anyone else feel the same way?
Global Entry is one of the Trusted Traveler Programs offered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It allows expedited entry for low-risk travelers through customs, using automated kiosks at select airports upon arrival in the United States after an international trip. It requires pre-approval and a fee, but more about the application process in a later blog. Simply put, it makes traveling easier by saving time and stress.
Here are my top 4 reasons for getting Global Entry. Hopefully it will motivate you to get yours!
1. No processing lines means you get through customs fast!
élan and I recently went to Japan and returned through Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii. We followed the signs at Customs for Global Entry and walked immediately to an open kiosk with no wait time at all.
2. No paperwork means you get through customs fast!
You don’t have to worry about searching for a pen and filling out a Customs Declaration form prior to landing. When you arrive at a participating airport in the United States, you check-in at the automated Global Entry Kiosk. It scans your passport, fingerprints, and takes your picture. You answer the questions on the screen and it prints out your receipt which you then hand to the officer on your way out.
3. Includes TSA Pre✓
Global Entry includes TSA Pre✓, another Trusted Traveler Program which saves time and stress. With the TSA Pre✓ line, I don’t have to remove my shoes, laptop, 3-1-1 liquids or light jacket. More importantly, because Lyric and London are under 12, they can join me.
4. You can get it for free!
The non-refundable application fee for Global Entry is $100, and once accepted, membership lasts for 5 years. $20/year is well worth for me to get through security lines and customs fast. But did you know there are ways to get it for free? There are travel-reward credit cards that will reimburse your Global Entry fee every 4 years as a statement credit. We have a Chase United Explorer Card and American Express Platinum Card that gives us these benefits.
These are my top reasons for getting Global Entry, but there are definitely more benefits. Do you have your Global Entry? If not, I hope that this post encourages you to apply for yours so you can skip the lines after you return from seeing the world.
Best,
Marlene
A few of my Amazon picks to hold your passport – wallet, neck pouch, family passport/ticket organizer and travel belt.
