TSA Precheck

Hi Kaeleku,

We applied for precheck. Maybe we can change that to global entry when we have the interview? I wasn't as concerned about coming back to the states as being delayed on our outbound journey. I would hate, hate, hate to miss a second of that trip to Africa. It seems the last few times coming back to the US the entry process was pretty quick. In all our years of travel, we never had any issues with reentering the US except once.

I was given my number in the interview scheduling paperwork (for Global Entry/TSA Precheck) and told at the end of the interview that I could begin using it right away. I had a trip scheduled a week or two later and was able to add the number to my flight info on the airline's website several days ahead of time.

Hi Kaeleku!

I just checked on interview locations for global entry and the closest to us is SFO - a 5 hour drive. And if we went to SFO for the global entry, would we have the approval prior to our trip? The TSA precheck interview is here in Reno.

Thanks srminn!

Hi Kaeleku,

You are right. Global entry and precheck are separate entities. So the global entry is not an option for us. It's too inconvenient as we would have to travel 10 hours back and forth to SFO to save a bit of time at the airport. We are doing a tour through Odysseys Unlimited and they booked the flights. It's American from Reno to O'Hare and then Turkish Airlines Chicago to Istanbul, then Istanbul to Arusha. We will be arriving at the domestic terminal at O'Hare and then taking the airport tram to the international terminal. Don't all passengers get funneled through the same security at O'Hare regardless of airline. O'Hare is my main concern not Istanbul. I believe that the tour company booked us through from Reno to Arusha.

...Maybe we can change that to global entry when we have the interview?.....

Kealeku is correct. It is two different program, two difference agencies. So you cannot "upgrade" to Global Entry.

Thanks, Kaeleku.

Thanks, Frank.

I joined PC last summer in Seattle, WA. Filled out the online forms, scheduled an interview, got interviewed, and then waited a week or two to get my PC #. My PC number uses my full name that I normally do not use when booking tickets and was told by the PC folks to contact my airlines and explain the situation to them and ask them to add my middle name to my account and booking which Hawaiian Air did. I have two experiencing flying since them. The first one was at an airport on Kauai, HI, where they had on PC service. The second was last Monday at Honolulu, HI airport where I arrived to find a PC line "several miles long" only to be told by the TSA folks that it was the only PC line for that entire terminal, that terminal being the Inter-island one where Hawaiian Airlines operates. Not a good start for my $.
I fly again on June 3 out of Seattle and will make sure I arrive at the airport 3 hours before my flight. I flew thru O'Hare one time when flying to Seattle from London on British Airlines. My experience at that airport was so bad that I will not fly thru their again, however, if I am ever offered a free ticket to Europe, I might reconsider.

Everything will be fine now:-) http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/24/us/politics/tsa-replaces-security-chief-as-tension-grows-at-airports-and-agency.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront

Thanks for your reply, Charlie. We have decided not to go the precheck route. We normally are listed as TSA precheck on our domestic flights. I have no idea why as we have not applied for this. Of course, the international legs havenot been precheck. Lately we do not fly domestic airlines internationally and TSA precheck would not apply, so there is no reason to spend $85 each at this point.

I have to renew my Global Entry. Tonight I checked the interview dates available. In my home town at least, plenty available starting in about 2 weeks out.

As was said Global Entry is CBP and gets you past customs/immigration lines when you come back from international flights. Precheck is TSA's program and gets you past long security lines (international or domestic) when it's available - depends on the specific airport, gate and flight. Precheck isn't always available (or at least wasn't last time I checked). Global Entry is great if you regularly travel overseas. It costs $100 and lasts five years, so one flight a year works out to about $20 each time, worth it IMO. One flight in five years may not be worth it unless you use Precheck regularly.

With Global Entry you should be approved and in the system at the completion of the interview or shortly thereafter; at least in my wife's and my case it worked out that way. FYI; renewal is even faster, assuming no personal issues, we were approved on line and and had new cards within a week. I would go with Global Entry over just the TSA precheck clearance. One thing, most international carriers are not a part of the TSA precheck system; when we fly Air France etc. out of IAH you clear the security the "old fashion way", but with United internationally we clear via precheck. The only international carrier that is a part of precheck, that I am aware of, is Air Canada.