My TSA PreCheck Membership Is Expiring This Year, and I Ain’t Paying for It Again – My Simple Plan to Receive Another 5 Years

January 31, 2019 By Joseph Hostetler

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I’ve had TSA PreCheck for the last 4 years, thanks to my Global Entry membership. It’s saved me countless hours at airport security over the years for 2 reasons.

1. I don’t have to:

Remove my toiletries from my carry-on
Remove my computer from its bag
Take off my jacket, shoes, belt, etc. at security checkpoints

2. I get to walk through an exclusive (and usually MUCH shorter) security lane.

You can receive an up to $100 statement credit for TSA PreCheck (or Global Entry, which comes with TSA PreCheck) simply by opening one of the following cards:

My membership is expiring later this year. Here’s how I plan to getting it again.

TSA PreCheck Is Included With Global Entry

Re-Enroll in TSA PreCheck Via Global Entry

I wrote a review of the unbelievably simple process to get TSA PreCheck. You can read that here.

But I plan to receive my TSA PreCheck membership by re-enrolling in Global Entry, because it allows me to skip the long immigration lines when returning to the US. TSA PreCheck comes with Global Entry.

Enrolling in Global Entry takes considerably more effort, but it’s made simpler with 1 trick.

Here’s the process.

Step 1. Log Into the US Customs and Border Protection Website

Whether this is your first time applying for Global Entry or you’re renewing, you’ll need to log onto the US CBP website. This is a different website than in previous years, so you’ll need to create a new account if you opened the card with a GOES ID (if you don’t know what that is, it’s okay because it won’t concern you).

I had to update/confirm a few things, like passport info, drivers license, and home address.

Navigate to the US Customs and Border Protection Site and Click the Appropriate Button

Step 2. Choose to Renew Your Membership

You can re-apply for Global Entry if you’re within 1 year of expiration. And no matter when you re-apply, your new 5-year membership will begin on the date your previous membership expires.

In other words, you won’t lose 12 months of your membership if you renew 12 months early!

After you create your account, you’ll see a box with all your membership info, such as your Trusted Traveler Number, expiration date, and TSA PreCheck enrollment. Click “Renew Membership.“

Step 3. Update Your Information

Although this is a different website than you’ve used in previous years, much of your info will still be saved. That’s because it’s attached to your Trusted Traveler Number, which you entered when creating a new account.

You’ll still need to verify that the info is correct, and add any new information. For example, you’ll need to enter all the countries you’ve visited since your previous application.

Update Your Personal Information and Travel History

Step 4. Set Up an Interview

This is my first time renewing Global Entry, but I’ve read reports in the past of folks not needing to re-interview for Global Entry. This was not the case for me. It looks like they’re giving me the works, both the background check and the interview.

Step 5. Pay for Your Application With the Right Credit Card

The Global Entry application costs $100, and it’s non-refundable. So if you aren’t approved after your interview, you won’t get your money back.

Again, you can have your Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee reimbursed (almost instantaneously) by paying with one of the following cards:

Pay Your Application Fee With a Card That Will Reimburse You!

That’s it! Your next step is to set up an appointment for an interview.

Setting Up a Global Entry Appointment

This is by far the biggest pain point of Global Entry. There are 2 reasons for this:

There are very few Global Entry enrollment centers. I’ve got just 2 locations within ~100 miles of me, and they all have ridiculous hours
Global Entry appointments are difficult to find. The soonest my “local” Global Entry enrollment center can fit me in is March

Because enrollment centers are often so far booked in the future, the best option for most of us is to log into the site and try to reschedule the appointment. Oftentimes you can pounce on an open slot from a recent cancellation. This tactic earned me an interview months earlier than my originally scheduled date when I first applied for membership years ago.

Even better, team member Meghan messaged me a service that will notify you when a new interview slot opens up. That way you don’t have to check every day!

It costs $9.99 for 14 days of notifications. But Million Mile Secrets readers can get it for free by using this link.

Bottom Line

Both Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are the best things you can do to upgrade your airport experience immediately. And when you enroll in Global Entry, you’ll automatically receive TSA PreCheck. So you won’t have to take off your shoes, belt, and jacket at the security checkpoint. You can even keep your laptop in your bag!

I just re-enrolled in Global Entry, and it was very easy. As long as you pay for your application with one the following cards, the fee will be reimbursed:

Let me know if you plan to enroll in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry!