As global entry delays hit 18 months, travelers are steered to TSA PreCheck

With holiday travel planning in high gear, the US Department of Homeland Security is urging those who mostly fly domestically to apply for TSA PreCheck instead of Global Entry, despite shared benefits. Applications for Global Entry have been experiencing processing times of up to 18 months, according to an alert posted on the DHS’s Trusted Traveler Programs website. This is as a result of a surge in demand for memberships while US Customs and Border Protection continues to clear the backlog from the pandemic lockdowns of 2020. The agency said Trusted Travelers Programs of which Global Entry comprises 80%, surpassed 10m total members in March, and is expecting another 3.5m in 2022—the most ever to be received in one year. By contrast most TSA PreCheck applicants can schedule an appointment in less than two weeks, and can receive approval in three to five days, the website says. According to the alert, those who travel internationally less than two times are a year should consider TSA PreCheck. The service eliminates the need to remove shoes, belts, liquids, laptops, and light jackets and provides dedicated lanes at more than 200 airports and 81 airlines across the US. Children 12 and under are not required to obtain their own Known Traveler Number (KTN) and can join a parent or guardian in speeding through the screening process without one. PreCheck costs $85 for five years and involves fingerprinting and verification of citizen documents. Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck and is for travel by air, land, and sea into the US from international destinations. It offers self-service kiosks or E-Gates with facial recognition and allows travelers to skip customs paperwork and long immigration lines. Membership costs $100 and lasts five years. However, unlike TSA PreCheck, children regardless of age, including newborns, need their own separate membership and must attend an interview appointment.<br/>