Global Entry will soon be more useful for domestic travel
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Global Entry is a must have for anyone who enjoys international travel and hates unnecessary wait times. It gives you exclusive permission to skip giant immigration lines when entering the U.S. after international travel. Simply locate a Global Entry kiosk at a participating airport, scan your passport and fingerprints and answer a few questions.
To boot, Global Entry also comes with TSA PreCheck, a membership that lets you keep your shoes, belt, and light jacket on when going through TSA checkpoints. You don’t even have to take your laptop out of your bag! Many credit cards even cover application fees for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. Global Entry and TSA PreCheck has easily saved MMS staff members hundreds of hours.
There’s another big way Global Entry is helping domestic travelers, and you probably don’t know what it is. It could save you from having to prematurely visit the DMV next year.
Global Entry is Real ID approved
Remember Real ID? Most people know two things about it:
- It’s some kind of enhanced drivers license with a star in the top corner
- If you don’t get it soon, you won’t be able to fly
That’s right, well, for the most part. The Real ID Act establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits federal agencies from accepting ID’s that don’t meet its guidelines.
The deadline for acquiring a Real ID was October 1, 2020. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump has postponed this requirement by 12 months. If you want to fly domestically, you’ll need a Real ID by October 1, 2021. But what if I don’t want to renew my license early?? I’m not made of money.
There are more Real ID options than you probably realize. For example, passports and other various government-issued identification are valid forms of ID for these more stringent regulations. In other words, as long as you haul around your passport everywhere you go, you don’t need to be issued a special drivers license.
An even better option is Global Entry. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll be sent a Global Entry ID card, which is the size of a credit card. Keep that in your wallet, and that’s all you need. No carrying around your precious passport, which can have serious consequences if lost, not to mention it takes ages to reorder and receive a replacement.
This of course isn’t a main selling point of Global Entry, but it’s a nice perk that may come in clutch once Real ID regulations are enforced. You should read our post on everything to know about Global Entry to see all of its fantastic benefits, and to determine if it’s a good choice for you (Hint: If you travel internationally even once per year, it absolutely is).
Cards that offer Global Entry fee reimbursement
Global Entry membership lasts five years, and costs $100 in application fees. But many credit cards offer an automatic statement credit that covers Global Entry application fees every four or five years to ensure that you’ll always get your membership for free. Here are our some of top picks:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- United℠ Explorer Card
Let us know if you apply for Global Entry! And subscribe to our newsletter for travel tips and tricks delivered to your inbox once per day.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year. Through December 31, 2021, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit
3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 50% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
Intro APR on purchases
N/A
Regular APR
16.99%-23.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$550
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
Rates & Fees
Other
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Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
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