TSA PreCheck Vs. Global Entry: Which One Is Best For You? A Travel Agent Weighs In

That 15-plus hour flight to get from Sydney to LAX is miserable enough already. Adding a long wait at U.S. Customs is just rubbing salt into your blisters — a terrible way to wrap up that long, glorious vacation road-tripping through the Australian Outback. Even if you've never availed yourself of a Trusted Traveler Program before, the prospect of a long international flight might be motivation enough to get you to sign up for one.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection has actually sanctioned five Trusted Traveller Programs: FAST is for international truck drivers, Sentri is for frequent travelers across the U.S./Mexico border, and Nexus caters to Canadian border-crossers. For air travelers, there is the one you're probably already familiar with, TSA PreCheck, and then there is Global Entry. Which one of these two is right for your situation? To help you figure that out, Explore spoke exclusively to Victoria Fricke, owner of luxury travel agency Vic's Vacations.

"Both programs allow for easier travel days through security and TSA/US Customs screenings," Fricke says. "The price point, application process and inclusions are the main differences." TSA PreCheck costs $77.95, for 5 years' worth of coverage at all U.S. airports. "That means you can keep your shoes on, don't have to take your ipads/laptops out of your bags and typically have a faster line at the airport," Fricke says. Global Entry costs $120, and gives you access to TSA PreCheck domestically, with the addition of a streamlined process when you're returning to the U.S. from a trip abroad. "Rather than stand in a typical customs line, which can easily be an hour or more on busy travel days," Fricke adds, "you have your photo taken and the software allows you to just walk by a US Customs Agent." Easy-peasy.

The TSA recommends Global Entry for passengers who take at least four international flights per year. However, Victoria Fricke recommends signing up for Global Entry even if you have only one international trip planned. "The only drawback to Global Entry is the application process," Fricke says. "You have to do an in person interview at the airport. If you live in a large city like Chicago/New York this is pretty easy to set up and do. If you don't, you'll need to drive to a city that does. A tip I give my clients is on their next travel layover to schedule an appointment in that city."

Another drawback to Global Entry is that you can wait a long time to be approved, and even be turned down. Any criminal history, even a traffic violation categorized as a misdemeanor, can disqualify you, especially if you forget to disclose. "My buddy was denied because he forgot to mention that 25 years prior he had an arrest while in college for trespassing. He was drunk and swam to an island that was part of a gated community," one Redditor writes. "He had to wait six months, re-apply, and disclose the incident on his application."

U.S. Customs will eventually send you written notice stating the reason for a denial. If it's due to an error, such as activity by someone with the same name as you showing up in your background check, you can appeal. "The process for getting Global Entry is definitely more intense," Fricke says, "but the reward of no customs lines is worth it!"

Maybe you're simply allergic to bureaucratic hassles and don't like the idea of the Global Entry vetting process. Or maybe you were arrested for vaping on a plane on your way home to Iowa last Thanksgiving (Sure that's one stressful trip but come on, really?!), and now you're ineligible for Global Entry for a number of years as a result. There is one more way you can shorten your time moving through customs: an app created by the TSA called Mobile Passport. "It's a very easy to use app that allows you to upload your passport, take a photo of yourself, and enter flight information," says Victoria Fricke. "Most airports have a Mobile Passport line, just like they do a Global Entry line, that is significantly faster than the standard line."

According to Fricke, one thing you shouldn't do is sign up for both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. Think of it this way: If TSA PreCheck is like the single-park Disney ticket that only gets you into the Magic Kingdom, Global Entry is like the super-duper All Day Park-Hopper Ticket that gets you in everywhere, including the Magic Kingdom. The long lines once you get there? That's another story.