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Global Entry Program/Pre-Check [Split from screaming woman thread]

Luanne

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Some information on what I thought was the end of random TSA PreCheck (dated September 23, 2015):

http://travelskills.com/2015/09/23/tsa-explains-confusion-over-precheck-policies/

A few days ago, we ran an item citing news reports which said that the Transportation Security Administration was no longer allowing passengers to be screened in the expedited PreCheck lanes if they are not members of that program, which requires a personal interview and payment of an $85 fee.

That item attracted comments from a number of readers, some of whom said that they were not members of PreCheck, but they were still being sent to the PreCheck lanes for screening — a practice the TSA calls “managed inclusion.” TSA started that practice many months ago to even out the inspection loads between PreCheck and non-PreCheck lanes.

So what’s going on here? Are non-members still going through PreCheck lanes or not?

“The confusion lies in the fact that we ended Managed Inclusion 2, but have left Managed Inclusion 1 in place,” TSA spokesman Mike Englund tells TravelSkills. (See full statement below)

In Managed Inclusion 1 — which remains in effect — PreCheck screening is available for “certain travelers who have been pre-screened by TSA canines,” Englund said. In other words, if a dog’s nose finds you acceptable, you might be selected for the fast inspection even if you are not an enrolled member of PreCheck and don’t have a known traveler number. (It only applies, obviously, in airports where TSA dogs are on duty.)



Managed Inclusion 2, he explained, was a program in which TSA relied on “behavior detection officers and explosive trace detection sampling” to direct certain passengers into the PreCheck lanes even if they weren’t paid members.

Englund told us: “Overall, the agency is now moving toward offering TSA PreCheck expedited screening only to trusted and pre-vetted travelers enrolled in the TSA PreCheck program, and is working with a number or partners to expand enrollment in program.” He did not say how long it might be until PreCheck screenings are limited only to paid members.

So while there won’t be as many non-members in PreCheck lines, there will still be some.
 

Luanne

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Global Entry Program/Pre-Check

We used to get PreCheck all the time when flying on both Southwest and United. Then it became more and more random, and then it would happen that one of us would get it, and the other wouldn't. By then we were so hooked we gladly paid the $100 for Global Entry. I think that's what they're hoping for. You'll get so used to getting PreCheck that when you start NOT getting it on a routine basis you'll be willing to pay.

This is from the woman who also claimed she'd NEVER pay for Early Bird boarding on Southwest. :rolleyes:
 

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The NEXUS program in Canada (similar to Global Entry) is $50 for 5 years. I consider it an excellent investment, almost as good as my TUG membership! In both cases I save time, energy and frustration. Averaging the cost over the number of times used, both are exceedingly reasonable.

As to flying business/first class, we save up for many years to splurge on these seats for overseas destinations. We certainly don't look down on economy passengers, as that's where we usually are!

I do have a differing perspective on the screaming/questioning woman. Obviously her conduct and method of dealing with the situation were inappropriate, however if i feel that someone is "cutting" in a line, or wilfully disregarding rules, I will call them out on it. Too often people get away with bad behaviour because we allow them to. I will do so politely and calmly, or notify someone in charge and ask them to deal with it.
 

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That I didn't know -- thanks! Does this also work for domestic flights, or just flights that include an international leg?

Kurt

Domestic for pre-TSA--not trying to be argumentative. I answered right after I saw Kurt's post, before I'd read that it didn't work for some. Then, I did a bit of looking. The gov. doesn't say that you might not get Pre-TSA, and we always do (except for the one time I didn't). :)

Our Sentri passes are about $150 for 5 years.https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=sentri+pass+price
NEXUS is about $180.00 for 5 years https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=nexus+pass+cost.
Global Entry is $100.00 for 5 years. http://thepointsguy.com/2013/08/1-things-you-didnt-know-about-global-entry/

Our Sentri pass can be used for Canada or for Global Entry at airports. Maybe the programs are slightly different? However, we were told that they are now interchangable--they weren't years ago when we got our first Sentri passes.

The gov. site says all are eligible to paricipate in pre-TSA http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus/tsa-pre✓®

I was once not granted it, but I thought it was simply a mistake because every other time, ever since there has been a pre-TSA, both of us had it stamped on the boarding passes.
 
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Luanne

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I usually get TSA Pre-check due to frequent flyer status. I get to keep my shoes on, leave my computer in the bag, and generally have a shorter line. Sometimes I don' t get Pre-check and I'm disappointed, but I wait patiently in the "regular" line. It is hard for me to feel guilty for a little break, earned by flying somewhere nearly every week. My flight history suggests I am a low security risk, so why shouldn't I help speed up the line by going through a Pre-check line? It makes it faster for everyone.

Sheila

Sheila, if you're not getting PreCheck all the time you are not getting it due to frequent flyer status the times you get it. Our dd is much more a frequent flyer than dh and I, and had status with several airlines. Usually we were the ones who would get PreCheck, and she would not.
 

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We've been lucky to have gotten TSA pre on the last few trips we've taken. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was a round trip TSA pre on our return last fall from Germany into Chicago. (Maybe all of the TSA pre's are RT, not sure.) The lines were crazy, crazy in customs and we just joined the crawling snake of people in the lines (checker didn't point us to the TSA line). We had a 3-hour layover and burned almost all of that time in the line.

I'd gladly join GE if we had a local application site.
 

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The link provided for Nexus is to a non-governmental site that assists with applications for a fee.
At least for Canadians going directly through the government website, the fee is $50 for 5 years.
 
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artringwald

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(Maybe all of the TSA pre's are RT, not sure..

Our trip last month was TSA Pre going out and no TSA Pre coming back. You never know.
 

LisaRex

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The closest site to me would be at least a 9-hour roundtrip.

Yeah, they should open up more sites if they want more participation. My nearest site is actually in a neighboring state, so only 1 hour vs. 3.5 hours to the only one in Ohio.
 

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Inspired (and educated) by this thread, I applied for Global Entry last night and although the application had its quirks, it was fairly simple.

I registered and set up my account. Next, I filled out the application.
Will check back to see if I'm approved and if so, will set up the interview at Logan Int'l in Boston.

If you decide to apply, have your passport or birth certificate with you as well as your driver's license. You will need info from two of these. Also, some of you may need the address and phone number of your current employer and other past employers as there are questions about your employment history going back 5 years.

=
 
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"Roger"

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Yeah, they should open up more sites if they want more participation. My nearest site is actually in a neighboring state, so only 1 hour vs. 3.5 hours to the only one in Ohio.
It is a matter of cost efficiency. Every site requires office rental plus hiring a person to staff the office. (Tax dollars) Basically, they have set up offices near airports with a significant number of global entries.

This is not a case of my being near such an airport and having a let them eat cake attitude toward others. My global entry interview (actually there is nothing to it once you have passed screening) required a trip of an hour and a half each way.
 

Luanne

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Global Entry Program/Pre-Check

Inspired (and educated) by this thread, I applied for Global Entry last night and although the application had its quirks, it was fairly simple.

I registered and set up my account. Next, I filled out the application.
Will check back to see if I'm approved and if so, will set up the interview at Logan Int'l in Boston.

If you decide to apply, have your passport or birth certificate with you as well as your driver's license. You will need info from two of these. Also, some of you may need the address and phone number of your current employer and other past employers as there are questions about your employment history going back 5 years.

=

I believe there are also questions about your past residences if you haven't lived at your current address for 5 years or more.
 

klpca

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MuranoJo

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There are some FF loyalty credit cards (maybe other types of cc's, too, I don't know) that credit you for the $100 Global Entry fee. http://thepointsguy.com/2015/08/getting-global-entry-fee-credit/

I take back my comment that I can't get GE here (my post #90). :eek:
Thanks to PamMo's post, I followed the link and discovered we DO have a local GE interview site, albeit, just two days a week, open only 4 hours each day.

My bad for accepting what others say and not checking it out myself.

Thanks, PamMo! Now to get this done (and BTW, good article you posted, but my CCs won't pay for this).
 

Egret1986

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We've flown outside the country only a couple of times

We've been lucky to have gotten TSA pre on the last few trips we've taken. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was a round trip TSA pre on our return last fall from Germany into Chicago. (Maybe all of the TSA pre's are RT, not sure.) The lines were crazy, crazy in customs and we just joined the crawling snake of people in the lines (checker didn't point us to the TSA line). We had a 3-hour layover and burned almost all of that time in the line.

I'd gladly join GE if we had a local application site.

We're going to Nova Scotia in July. I never even considered going through Customs :eek:. When I saw this thread, I was hopeful about getting GE. Then I saw the closest interview site was in Washington DC. Too far to go. Then I started thinking about it some more. I remembered the Customs experience in Miami. :eek: When I initially started looking at airfares, there were several flights with very short layovers. I crossed them off the list. Thirty minutes between flights just isn't doable.

I just looked at my return flight, which I booked with my AA awards. Obviously, I wasn't paying attention and got caught up in the moment of finding two awards flights with reasonable flight times. The return flight from Nova Scotia lands in PHL and the layover is only 45 minutes. Good grief :wall:. Even if we didn't have to go through Customs, this is a very short time frame if the flight is delayed or there's a great distance between gates.

Now, I really feel like a road trip should be in the plans, although I still don't see how we'll make our connection going through Customs (with GE or not).

There are actually two sites in Washingtion, DC. One is at Dulles and the other is 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue at the Reagan Building. One has Saturday hours and the other has Saturday hours by appointment.

Would anyone that is familiar with Dulles and Washington, DC post which one of these locations would be the best choice on a Saturday for ease of getting in and out, parking, etc.

Thanks! :)
 

isisdave

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You might want to check on this, but most flights to the US from Canada clear customs in Canada before checkin. I've never flown from Nova Scotia, though.
 

Egret1986

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If I could high-five you right now, I would! You're right. Clear Customs in Canada

You might want to check on this, but most flights to the US from Canada clear customs in Canada before checkin. I've never flown from Nova Scotia, though.

You just relieved a lot of potential stress very quickly.

I'd still like to get the GE, but now I don't have to worry as much about the limited layover. :cheer:

:wave:
 

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If you fly a lot, $100 for 5 years of Global Entry is pennies considering the (obvious) frustration from the long lines. That's $20 a year...if you even only fly once a year consider it a $20 convenience fee for that trip. And not only is it faster & easier to go through TSA in the USA, immigration coming home from an international trip is much faster (as alluded to in the original post).

You go through a fairly easy background check, a quick TSA interview at an airport near you, and fingerprinting. All in all, it was only a week or two between our online application and our interview, and we got our cards in the mail a few weeks later.

If you aren't willing to pay the fee, or be fingerprinted, etc., that's up to you, but you shouldn't then get mad at those that you think are "cutting the line". They did their screening ahead of time and paid a fairly nominal fee for the privilege.
All true but as a family you multiply those costs up by 3, 4, 5.
 

SMHarman

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It doesn't guarantee that you'll get it, but it guarantees that you are eligible to get it. Same as Global Entry doesn't guarantee you can just walk through customs as sometimes you get a big 'X' on your ticket and have to talk to customs.

Yes - my memory appears to be faulty! $85 for pre-check. :)
So a Family of 4 is $780 for both programs.
 

taterhed

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We're going to Nova Scotia in July. I never even considered going through Customs :eek:. When I saw this thread, I was hopeful about getting GE. Then I saw the closest interview site was in Washington DC. Too far to go. Then I started thinking about it some more. I remembered the Customs experience in Miami. :eek: When I initially started looking at airfares, there were several flights with very short layovers. I crossed them off the list. Thirty minutes between flights just isn't doable.

I just looked at my return flight, which I booked with my AA awards. Obviously, I wasn't paying attention and got caught up in the moment of finding two awards flights with reasonable flight times. The return flight from Nova Scotia lands in PHL and the layover is only 45 minutes. Good grief :wall:. Even if we didn't have to go through Customs, this is a very short time frame if the flight is delayed or there's a great distance between gates.

Now, I really feel like a road trip should be in the plans, although I still don't see how we'll make our connection going through Customs (with GE or not).

There are actually two sites in Washingtion, DC. One is at Dulles and the other is 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue at the Reagan Building. One has Saturday hours and the other has Saturday hours by appointment.

Would anyone that is familiar with Dulles and Washington, DC post which one of these locations would be the best choice on a Saturday for ease of getting in and out, parking, etc.

Thanks! :)

The interview at Dulles is usually painless. Parking is pretty easy.
Some less good news...
The agent may be late (my wife's interview was 30 mins late)
The agent may seem surly (but they aren't, just their demeanor)
Depending on your personal data history and traveling pattern, your interview may be extremely short or slightly more involved.

Don't omit anything from the application. Bring documentation to address any 'issues' you needed to disclose.

cheers.
 

SMHarman

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Also, randomly you can still be pulled aside and be sent through the whirly-gig (the full body scanner). Actually, my wife has to go through that every time in that she has had a hip replacement. Still faster to be pre-checked in that she gets to that point much faster.
I refuse that machine (as the sign allows) and take an in person screen every time. There is a reason they a're banned in Europe and a reason the US government bought thousands of them from their own military industrial complex.
 
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