Getting Global Entry and TSA PreCheck is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your travel
experience. Though paying $100 for Global Entry may seem expensive, especially if you
don’t travel internationally very often. Which is why I recommend looking for ways
to offset the cost.
Hey, how’s it going everyone? It’s Ernest from Trip Astute. In this video, I’m going
to run through how you can get yourself or someone you care about Global Entry or TSA
PreCheck through a credit card.
The other day I was at work talking to some of my coworkers. The topic of Global Entry
came up, and one of my coworkers was complaining that he wished he didn’t have to pay $100
for it. I mentioned that he should consider getting a credit card to offset the fee, but
his response to me was “I don’t want to pay for the American Express Platinum card.”
It got me thinking about how this card benefit is available on so many different cards. And
while we often associate the benefit with more premium travel credit cards, there are
actually a lot of cards with modest annual fees that offer this benefit. So I thought
I’d do a quick video on some popular cards to consider that offer a $100 Global Entry
or TSA PreCheck credit.
In case you’re wondering what is Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, I recommend that you
first check out our video on the topic. I go into much more detail on the program and
process for enrollment.
Also, while all the cards that I’ll review today offer a $100 credit, they typically
restrict you from using if every four to five years. This is important to know since both
Global Entry and TSA PreCheck last five years, so theoretically, if you keep a card account
open over a four year period, you would only be able to use it once during that time period.
You would then have to wait another four or five years for the benefit to be available
again, or get another card that offers that same benefit.
So, let’s review the cards in my list. I’m grouping them into three different categories.
We’ll start with the premium travel cards, which include cards that have an annual fee
of $400 or more. We’ll then look at credit cards with annual fees less than $100. Finally,
we’ll review cards that have no annual fee in the first year. This list isn’t meant
to include every possible card out there. But I tried to focus on cards that are widely
available and somewhat popular in the travel rewards space.
We’ll start with the premium cards. When we look at the premium travel credit card
space, you can see that this is a common benefit across the board. American Express offers
this perk on their Platinum card and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. Chase offers it on
their Sapphire Reserve card. Citi has several cards that offer it including the Citi Prestige
and AAdvantage Executive World Elite. US Bank’s Altitude Reserve provides the credit as well.
There are other premium cards that offer it too, but some of these cards are a bit difficult
to get so I didn’t want to clutter the list. For example, the City National Bank Crystal
card offers a lot of premium benefits including a credit for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.
However, you have to be near a City National Bank branch since you have to apply in-person.
Another thing that I want to point out is that all of the cards in this category offer
this benefit every four years, with the exception of the Citi card which is five years. That
shouldn’t make much of a difference, but it’s just something to keep in mind if you’re
thinking about applying.
Of all the choices in this list, I personally would go with American Express or Chase. While
I know a lot of people like the Citi Prestige, I’m not sure it’s the best choice for
travelers since Citi removed most of the travel benefits on the card. Though if you’re into
American Airlines miles, then the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite could be a card to get
at some point if you’re able to maximize the benefits on the card. The US Bank Altitude
Reserve is also a card to consider, though it’s a pain to get, which is why I’m not
recommending it. I think for most people, you’re probably better off sticking with
a premium card from one of the two main issuers. If you’re wondering why Chase and American
Express seem to dominate the premium card space, check out our video on the topic.
The next category of cards are the sub-$100 annual fee cards. These are cards that have
a much lower annual fee than the previous group. The three cards in this list are the
Bank of America Premium Rewards, the US Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express, and the Chase
IHG Rewards Club Premier. As you can see from the chart, the annual fees range from $85
to $95, and the benefit refreshes every four years on all the cards.
Of this group, I would personally recommend the Chase IHG Rewards Club Premier. That’s
because the card is a hotel card that includes a free annual night every year as part of
your annual fee. That means that you’re essentially getting a hotel stay for only
$89, which is easy to maximize under the hotel brands included in IHG. Also, if you’re
invested in the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, then you can transfer points from Chase to
IHG for bookings since they are a travel partner. It’s usually not the best travel partner
to use since IHG points aren’t generally worth as much as other hotel brands like Hyatt.
Though it’s nice knowing that you can top off your account if you’re short on IHG
points when booking.
Of course, if you’re not someone who stays at hotels or prefers to book more budget options,
then this won’t be useful. Both the US Bank FlexPerks Gold and Bank of American Premium
Rewards are interesting cards and maybe a better fit. Though, there are other options
-- which leads me to the last group of cards.
These are cards that do not charge an annual fee in the first year. This means that if
you are approved for these cards, you can earn the welcome offer and start using the
benefits, like the Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credit, before you are even charged the annual
fee. Two cards that I think might be worth checking out in this category are the Capital
One Venture Rewards and Chase United Explorer. Both cards have an annual fee of $95 that
starts after your first year of membership.
I think both of these cards are great, but for different reasons. The Capital One Venture
Rewards works for folks that don’t want to deal with the hassle of a multi-card flexible
points set-up. Instead, it acts like a 2% flat-rate card that allows you to apply your
earned cashback toward travel purchases or point transfer to select travel partners.
It also includes travel benefits and no foreign transaction fees. The card consistently offers
a lucrative welcome offer as well after meeting the minimum spend requirement.
The Chase United Explorer card is a card that I currently have but rarely use. Though I
keep it because it gives me free check-in bags, two United lounge passes, priority boarding,
and access to additional award seats. The priority boarding and additional award seats
are valuable to me. The welcome offer on the card fluctuates throughout the year, so keep
that in mind. However, if you don’t ever fly on United, then this card may not be useful
to you.
Like the other categories, there are several other cards in this category like the SunTrust
Travel Rewards. This card has no annual fee in the first year, then has an $89 annual
fee starting in year two. The only catch is that it’s hard to get if you don’t live
in a location where SunTrust has a bank. As of this video, if you don’t already bank
with SunTrust, you can still apply for the card if you live in the following states.
Also, the PenFed Pathfinder offers a Global Entry credit and has no annual fee. That’s
right, no annual fee ever! You have to join the credit union, which isn’t necessarily
hard. Though as of this video, PenFed is not accepting new applications for the card. It
looks like they are going to be re-releasing it sometime in early 2020, so you may want
to keep an eye out if you’re looking for a credit card that offers the Global Entry
and TSA PreCheck credit with no annual fee.
Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that there is a card with a $199 annual fee that includes
the credit. It’s the Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Silver. However, as of this video,
the card is only available through a product change from the AAdvantage Aviator Red card.
It’s really a card geared for those that are loyal to American Airlines and want to
maximize miles with their program. But I thought I’d mention it in case you happen to be
in that group.
Finally, I wanted to share some quick tips for those looking to get Global Entry or TSA
PreCheck.
1. Get Global Entry over TSA PreCheck: If you’re debating between the two programs,
I would suggest getting Global Entry since it includes TSA PreCheck. Even if you only
travel abroad occasionally, you’re still better off getting the Global Entry, especially
if your credit card pays for it.
To me, the only reason to consider TSA PreCheck over Global Entry is that it is easier to
get and less expensive. The background check is supposedly less thorough, and the process
is much easier.
Again, for more information on the Global Entry, make sure to check out our previous
video on it. We go through a lot more details on the program and the application process.
2. Consider helping family members or friends get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: In order
to use the credits on your credit card, you just have to use the card as your payment
method when applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. However, it doesn’t mean that
you can’t share the love with others. If you have a family member or friend that you
could use a membership, and you happen to have a card that offers the credit, you might
consider gifting it to them. They would have to use your card when paying for the application,
but I think it’s thoughtful thing to do, especially if you have multiple cards with
the credit.
3. Factor in the welcome offer and long-term viability of the card: While it may be tempting
just to get a card based solely on this benefit and the welcome offer, I would encourage you
to factor in the long term benefit of having the card. For example, earlier in the video
I recommended the Chase IHG card since it’s card that you’ll probably keep in the long
term because of the annual hotel night reward stay. That perk is easily worth more than
the annual fee, so it’s a card that you’ll likely want to keep, even if you’re not
using it for your everyday purchases.
For more information on looking beyond the welcome offer, check out our video on the
topic. I truly believe that there is a balance between pursuing welcome offers and cards
that bring you long term value.
4. If you have a large family that travels internationally, consider Mobile Passport
instead: If you have a large family, you may be surprised to learn that everyone needs
to have their own Global Entry account to use the service when traveling together. This
can be pricey! That’s why I recommend checking out Mobile Passport if you’re in this situation.
It used to be completely free, but the app now costs $15. However, I know a lot of folks
that love using it. I even know a few people with Global Entry that use since the Mobile
Passport line is sometimes shorter.
5. Don’t overlook business credit cards: We focused primarily on personal cards, but
there are business cards that also include this benefit. Examples are the American Express
Business Platinum, Captial One Spark Miles for Business, and Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards
Performance Business card. If you’re eligible for business credit cards, then you’ll definitely
want to consider these options.
6. Consider CLEAR if you’re a frequent traveler: We did a video a while back on the CLEAR program
and how it works with TSA PreCheck in case you’re interested. Also, since that video,
the American Express Green Card was refreshed and now offers a credit toward the program.
CLEAR isn’t a replacement for TSA PreCheck, but it can be useful if you’re someone who
experiences long lines at airport security, even when you have TSA PreCheck. This is especially
the case if you’re a business traveler who tends to fly during peak hours during the
week.
Have you paid for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck? If so, did you use a credit card with this
benefit? Also, what cards do you recommend for those looking to apply for these programs?
If you’re interested in applying for a new credit card, we would love it if you used
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