Travel should be a joy, but there’s no denying that one of the biggest headaches is getting through the airport. Navigating the TSA protocols, rushing to place the luggage in the little bins without holding up the line, and praying the person in front of you wore slip-on shoes (and some socks) can make for less than a bon voyage.

Luckily, the government and privately owned security memberships such as TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, NEXUS, and Clear Plus have found ways to make flying easier by expediting the security check-in hassle. Read on for the full story on how they stack up and whether they are worth the extra spend.

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TSA Precheck 

You’ve probably seen the special aisle for TSA Precheck people at the airport. Perhaps you already signed up. What TSA Precheck offers, quite simply, is membership in the Transportation Security Administration’s program for low-risk travelers to skip some of the standard physical screening process in select airports within America. And it’s available whether you are flying domestically or internationally. 

You can avoid taking off your shoes (hooray), belt, and jacket as you go through security.  And you can leave those 3-1-1 liquids and your laptop in your bag vs. struggling to remove them while people huff and puff in line behind you.

Many travel credit cards such as Marriott Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards gift you TSA Precheck membership as a perk.

Once you have TSA PreCheck, by the way, you’ll see that status printed out on your boarding passes when you travel. 

How to get it: Currently, you can sign up via platforms Telos and IDEMIA, which involves your being scheduled for a 10-minute enrollment interview at a nearby enrollment center. Once approved, you’re given a Known Travel Code which can be used at any 200 airports that accept TSA Precheck. It costs $78 to obtain a five-year membership, and $70 to renew.  

Worth noting: Travel credit cards such as Marriott Bonvoy, Southwest Airlines More Rewards, United Mileage Plus, and IHG One Rewards often gift you TSA Precheck membership as one of their perks.

Global Entry

Many people are confused by what the difference is between Global Entry and TSA Precheck. Here’s the scoop: Global entry membership is offered by the US Customs and Border Protection Agency that applies to international travel by sea, land, and air. This membership can help you clear customs more quickly when returning to the US. What’s more, TSA Precheck and NEXUS memberships are included as one of the benefits of Global Entry so you gain access to 200 domestic airports and 90+ international airports.

If you travel internationally, Global Entry can be a great bet, scooting you through security ASAP at either end of your trip.  

After you’re provisionally approved, you can do the interviews without an appointment next time you go through immigration from an international flight.

How to get it: Although the application process is admittedly more strenuous than that of TSA Precheck, the access provided by Global Entry is far greater with those expedited international travel benefits. Once you fill out a Global Entry application online through the Trusted Travel platform, you schedule an interview that can be conducted at select Global Entry Enrollment Centers, including border crossings and airports. 

Interviews at an airport convenient to you are not easy to schedule, however. Appointments fill up quickly at the biggest airports. The saving grace is that after you’re provisionally approved, you can do the interviews without an appointment next time you go through immigration from an international flight.

“I could never schedule an appointment at any airport near me,” says NextTribe founder Jeannie Ralston. “So when I arrived at the Charlotte airport at the end of our India trip, I simply told an official that I wanted my Global Entry interview and they sent me to a special line. They asked me a few questions, took my fingerprints and I was done.”

The entire application process may take up to four to six months to get approved, and it will cost $100 for a five-year membership (which is set to go up to $120 in October 2024).

Once approved for Global Entry, you’ll receive a membership card in the mail that scans you into Global Entry security lines at the airport. You’ll be able to power through the usual security screening more quickly, as with TSA membership. 

Clear Plus

Have you seen people signing up for Clear Plus at the airport and cutting the long security lines? Us too. Rather than waiting in the standard TSA line with ID and boarding pass verification, Clear Plus offers a sometimes speedier alternative through biometrics. More specifically, Clear Plus, which is a private company, allows members to verify their identity by an eye and fingerprint scan at Clear Plus kiosks near the TSA. This can be the quickest verification process available – good for travelers who tend to be in a rush.

Clear Plus verifies identities by eye and fingerprint scans, which can be the quickest process available – good for travelers in a rush

It’s worth noting that Clear Plus members are still required to go through all the same TSA procedures as a standard flier, such as carry-on scanning. The service can, however, get you to the front of the line at the 55 U.S. airports where it currently operates. You may want to check that the airport you usually depart from is among those locations – and, no, Clear Plus isn’t internationally available, or at least not yet.

How to get it: Signing up for Clear Plus can take as little as five minutes and can be done at any airport with a kiosk or on their website. You must be 18 years or older with a valid government-issued ID. It costs $189 a year, and if you often travel with family members, you may love these perks: Clear Plus allows users to add up to three family members for an additional $60 per member. Children under 18 can bypass the line too as long as they’re with a parent or guardian. 

Another cool bonus: Several credit cards offer discounts and deals for the annual membership. When paying with an American Express credit card, the fee for Clear Plus may be discounted or fully reimbursed. Feeling indecisive? Clear Plus offers a free two-month trial for those interested in trying it out. 

NEXUS 

One more service to consider: If you have family in Canada or dream of visiting Banff every year, NEXUS could be for you. It’s an expedited security option that works exclusively for travelers between the U.S. and Canada. You can think of it as a combination of your TSA Precheck and Global Entry benefits for border crossings. As a member, you’ll gain access to designated (and usually faster) lanes at the border and can bypass customs and border screening by using designated NEXUS kiosks in Canada and Global Entry kiosks in America. 

How to get it: Full disclosure: The application process is the longest out of the four options. Once you submit your NEXUS application on the Trusted Traveler website and pay the $50 non-refundable fee, the U.S. and Canadian Customs and Border Control must approve the application, and then you must schedule an interview with both country’s government agencies to receive membership. We’ve heard the entire process can take up to 20 months. There’s a $50 fee for five-year membership. 

Which Option Is Best for You?

In most cases, the best option for frequent flyers hands down is Global Entry. It’s the most cost-effective and overall makes flying internationally seamless. Plus, TSA Precheck is included with a Global Entry Membership. Even if you’re not a frequent international traveler, if you foresee yourself leaving the country a handful of times within the next five years, Global Entry is something worth looking into. 

NEXUS can be a good option for those who criss-cross into the U.S./Canadian border often, and let’s not ignore Clear Plus. While it’s the most costly option with an annual fee of $189, if your credit card throws it in as a membership reward, why not?

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