PreCheck vs Global Entry Calculator
| TSA PreCheck | Global Entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee, 5 years | ~$77–85 (provider-set) | $120 (CBP-set) |
| Domestic security line | Yes | Yes (includes PreCheck) |
| US arrivals, kiosk + customs | No | Yes |
| Background check | Yes | Yes (harder pass) |
| Kids 17 & under | Free with parent on pass | Own $120 application |
Fees: CBP, Global Entry ($120, five years, background check) and TSA PreCheck (provider-set enrollment). Global Entry members get TSA PreCheck on departing flights; PreCheck alone does nothing at the immigration hall. Related: TSA liquids calculator, carry-on size calculator, passport processing time calculator.
The PreCheck-versus-Global-Entry argument ends on one question, and it is not the $40: do you fly internationally on a US return leg? Global Entry costs $120 for five years against PreCheck's provider-set $77-to-85 range, and that premium buys expedited US immigration and customs on arrival — plus TSA PreCheck on domestic legs, because Global Entry includes it. One international trip in five years usually settles the math; this calculator prices the rest.
Time is the real currency. PreCheck saves the shoes-laptop-liquids line, worth roughly 10 to 20 minutes a domestic trip; Global Entry's kiosks can cut 20 to 40 minutes off the arrival hall after a long-haul flight, when the value of minutes is at its highest. Enter your trip counts and minutes and read the five-year hours saved against the fee — the answer is per-traveler, which is exactly what the generic comparisons online refuse to be.
How to use
- Enter your typical year: domestic trips and international return trips to or from the US.
- Keep the default minutes-saved estimates or tune them to your airports — hub size moves the PreCheck line more than the GE kiosk.
- Read the five-year hours saved per program and the verdict on whether the $40 Global Entry premium buys its keep.
Frequently asked questions
Does Global Entry include TSA PreCheck?
Yes — every Global Entry member receives TSA PreCheck on domestic and participating international departures, which is why the comparison is really PreCheck versus PreCheck-plus-faster-arrivals. The reverse is not true: PreCheck alone gets you nothing at the immigration hall.
How much do PreCheck and Global Entry cost?
Global Entry's application fee is $120 for five years, set by CBP. TSA PreCheck enrollment is set by private providers rather than TSA itself and runs roughly $77 to $85 for the same five years — the $40-ish gap is the entire price of adding the international benefit.
Is Global Entry worth it if I only fly internationally once in five years?
Probably yes: one arrival-hall save of 30 minutes is an hour and a half back over the term for a $40 premium over PreCheck — the calculator's break-even for international-only flyers lands at roughly one trip per five years when you value time above minimum wage. The card loses only if the trips never happen.
What is CLEAR, and is it in this comparison?
CLEAR is a private, not government, identity service that speeds the document check before security; it does not replace PreCheck screening and charges an annual subscription well above both federal programs. It stacks on top of PreCheck but is a different product with a recurring bill, so it lives outside this five-year fee math.
Do kids need their own membership?
Children 17 and under can use a parent's TSA PreCheck lane when the designation is on their boarding pass, so families save on PreCheck. Global Entry has no family sharing — every traveler, including minors, needs their own $120 application for the expedited arrival kiosks.