If your dad is anything like mine, you likely know the chaos of rushing to the airport at 5 in the morning in a sleepy daze — six hours early in fear of missing your flight.
Here’s a potential solution for the worriers in your family: Consider telling them about credit cards that provide complimentary TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership. These programs help expedite the airport experience, getting you through crowded security lines and to your plane faster.
You’ll need to use the card to pay for the program first, and then receive a statement credit for the cost — either $78 for TSA PreCheck or $100 for Global Entry.
What are TSA PreCheck and Global Entry?
Both travel programs allow you to cut through some of the red tape at the airport and can improve your travel experience. Here’s what they offer and how they differ.
TSA PreCheck costs $78 for five years and offers a dedicated security line to expedite members through. You also don’t have to remove your shoes, belt, laptop, acceptable liquids or jacket as you go through airport security.
Global Entry costs $100 for five years and focuses more on US citizens arriving back in the States after a trip abroad. It expedites the path through customs for those who are deemed low-risk for security issues. Global Entry clearance also includes clearance for TSA PreCheck, so you get the value of both programs for just $15 more.
With both programs, you need to be preapproved before heading to the airport.
Read more: Best American Airlines Credit Cards
Which travel credit card is best to choose?
Our pick for the best card for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry is the Capital One Venture Rewards card. It’s an inexpensive option that provides good travel rewards no matter which carrier or hotel you choose and a number of useful perks.
CNET’S PICK
Intro Offer
75,000 miles Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Annual Fee
$95
Rewards Rate
2x – 5x Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options; Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
Rec. Credit Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
670 – 850 Good – Excellent
APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card* strikes the best balance between annual fee, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Credit and rewards program. The cost is $95 annually, but that fee will be worth it for many travelers. The welcome bonus — 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months as a cardholder — is worth $750 if you redeem it for travel. Meanwhile, the 2x miles rewards rate on all of your purchases is both competitive and simple.
You get up to a $100 credit toward either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry — but not both (this is the case with all of the picks on this list). You can renew this membership and get a new statement credit every four years.
This card also grants you two visits to Capital One Lounges throughout the year, though these lounges are currently only open at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport. Two more are scheduled to open in 2023, at Denver (DEN) and Washington, DC (IAD).
For more information, see our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
5x
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
2x
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card* strikes the best balance between annual fee, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Credit and rewards program. The cost is $95 annually, but that fee will be worth it for many travelers. The welcome bonus — 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months as a cardholder — is worth $750 if you redeem it for travel. Meanwhile, the 2x miles rewards rate on all of your purchases is both competitive and simple.
You get up to a $100 credit toward either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry — but not both (this is the case with all of the picks on this list). You can renew this membership and get a new statement credit every four years.
This card also grants you two visits to Capital One Lounges throughout the year, though these lounges are currently only open at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport. Two more are scheduled to open in 2023, at Denver (DEN) and Washington, DC (IAD).
For more information, see our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
5x
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
2x
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
Intro Offer
20,000 bonus miles 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,500 within 90 days of account opening.
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1x miles – 2x miles Earn 2x miles per $1 spent on airfare, car rentals, and hotels.; Earn 1x miles per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Rec. Credit Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
N/A
APR
16.24% – 25.24% Variable
The Truist Enjoy Travel Credit Card* is a rare card that both offers TSA PreCheck or a Global Entry credit and has no annual fee. Since this card is all upside, you could apply purely for the credit, but can also earn rewards on your purchases to redeem for cash back, gift cards or merchandise. While the rewards rates aren’t as strong as other cash-back credit cards, it’s still a great pick for those looking to skip the lines at airport security.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 16.24% – 25.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
2x miles
Earn 2x miles per $1 spent on airfare, car rentals, and hotels.
1x miles
Earn 1x miles per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
The Truist Enjoy Travel Credit Card* is a rare card that both offers TSA PreCheck or a Global Entry credit and has no annual fee. Since this card is all upside, you could apply purely for the credit, but can also earn rewards on your purchases to redeem for cash back, gift cards or merchandise. While the rewards rates aren’t as strong as other cash-back credit cards, it’s still a great pick for those looking to skip the lines at airport security.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 16.24% – 25.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
2x miles
Earn 2x miles per $1 spent on airfare, car rentals, and hotels.
1x miles
Earn 1x miles per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Intro Offer
75,000 miles Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Annual Fee
$395
Rewards Rate
2x – 10x Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.; 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
; 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Rec. Credit Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
800 – 850 Excellent
APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card* is both the youngest and least expensive of premium travel cards — those that cost several hundred dollars annually in exchange for more luxurious travel benefits. The annual fee is $395, which you can mostly offset if you can use the $300 annual travel credit you can earn automatically when booking travel through the Capital One Travel portal. A 10,000-mile bonus — worth $100 toward travel — is also awarded to you at each account anniversary.
Otherwise, the flat rewards rate and welcome bonus are identical to that of the Capital One Venture card, but you’ll get extra rewards if you book hotels, rental cars or flights through Capital One Travel. Like the other card picks, you can earn a statement credit up to $100 toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years, if you use your Venture X card when applying.
For more information, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture X Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
10x
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
5x
5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2x
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card* is both the youngest and least expensive of premium travel cards — those that cost several hundred dollars annually in exchange for more luxurious travel benefits. The annual fee is $395, which you can mostly offset if you can use the $300 annual travel credit you can earn automatically when booking travel through the Capital One Travel portal. A 10,000-mile bonus — worth $100 toward travel — is also awarded to you at each account anniversary.
Otherwise, the flat rewards rate and welcome bonus are identical to that of the Capital One Venture card, but you’ll get extra rewards if you book hotels, rental cars or flights through Capital One Travel. Like the other card picks, you can earn a statement credit up to $100 toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years, if you use your Venture X card when applying.
For more information, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture X Credit Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
10x
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
5x
5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2x
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Intro Offer
60,000 points 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®
Annual Fee
$550
Rewards Rate
1x – 10x Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.; Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.; Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.; 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Rec. Credit Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
800 – 850 Excellent
APR
22.49% – 29.49% Variable
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the best rewards of premium travel credit cards. Though it’s more expensive than the Venture X at $550 annually, the $300 annual statement credit for travel is much more widely applicable since you don’t have to book your travel through Chase in order to earn it.
The welcome bonus and rewards earn you Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can redeem these points for 50% more than their cash-back value if you redeem them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. So, for instance: The Sapphire Reserve’s welcome bonus earns you 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months. While this can be redeemed for a statement credit for $600, it’s worth $900 when redeemed as travel points through Chase’s portal.
In addition to the up to $100 statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years, you also get Priority Pass Select membership that lets you visit over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. For more details about the rewards and travel perks, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 22.49% – 29.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
10x
Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
5x
Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
3x
Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
1x
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the best rewards of premium travel credit cards. Though it’s more expensive than the Venture X at $550 annually, the $300 annual statement credit for travel is much more widely applicable since you don’t have to book your travel through Chase in order to earn it.
The welcome bonus and rewards earn you Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can redeem these points for 50% more than their cash-back value if you redeem them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. So, for instance: The Sapphire Reserve’s welcome bonus earns you 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months. While this can be redeemed for a statement credit for $600, it’s worth $900 when redeemed as travel points through Chase’s portal.
In addition to the up to $100 statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years, you also get Priority Pass Select membership that lets you visit over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. For more details about the rewards and travel perks, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 22.49% – 29.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
10x
Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
5x
Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
3x
Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
1x
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 points Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual Fee
$695
Rewards Rate
5x – 5x Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.; Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Rec. Credit Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
670 – 850 Good – Excellent
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
The Platinum Card from American Express isn’t known for its rewards — but it makes up for it with its extensive credits, including (you guessed it) a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry (Up to $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck or $100 every 4 years for Global Entry). If you can take advantage of some of the other credits, you should be able to make up for the $695 annual fee. Some of the other travel-related credits include:
- Up to $189 statement credit for CLEAR® Plus membership each year. Whereas TSA PreCheck expedites physical screenings at airports, Clear expedites your document processing by scanning and recognizing your face and eyes. Clear must be renewed every year, which your Platinum Amex will reimburse you for.
- Unlimited access to participating locations in the Global Lounge Collection for you and up to two guests, depending on the lounge and location. This includes AmEx Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and more. With over 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries, The Platinum Amex has more access to airport lounges than the other cards on this list.
- Up to $200 airline fee statement credit per calendar year. This doesn’t include flight costs themselves, but will cover incidental travel fees on one selected qualifying airline, including things like checked bags and in-flight refreshments.
To read about the other annual credits this card offers, check out our full review of The Platinum Card from American Express.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more
The Platinum Card from American Express isn’t known for its rewards — but it makes up for it with its extensive credits, including (you guessed it) a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry (Up to $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck or $100 every 4 years for Global Entry). If you can take advantage of some of the other credits, you should be able to make up for the $695 annual fee. Some of the other travel-related credits include:
- Up to $189 statement credit for CLEAR® Plus membership each year. Whereas TSA PreCheck expedites physical screenings at airports, Clear expedites your document processing by scanning and recognizing your face and eyes. Clear must be renewed every year, which your Platinum Amex will reimburse you for.
- Unlimited access to participating locations in the Global Lounge Collection for you and up to two guests, depending on the lounge and location. This includes AmEx Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and more. With over 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries, The Platinum Amex has more access to airport lounges than the other cards on this list.
- Up to $200 airline fee statement credit per calendar year. This doesn’t include flight costs themselves, but will cover incidental travel fees on one selected qualifying airline, including things like checked bags and in-flight refreshments.
To read about the other annual credits this card offers, check out our full review of The Platinum Card from American Express.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more
Pros
-
Avoid the headache of long TSA or customs lines
-
Reach your plane faster
-
Gain access to travel rewards
-
Get covered by travel protections
Cons
-
Most cards have an annual fee
-
Missing credit card payments could damage your credit
-
Having access to another line of credit could encourage you to overspend
Should I get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry?
If you can benefit from both programs, you should opt for Global Entry since it also offers you access to TSA PreCheck. However, Global Entry has a stricter approval process, so if you mostly fly domestically and don’t want to deal with additional scrutiny, TSA PreCheck is a better option.
How to apply for TSA PreCheck
To apply for TSA PreCheck, you first have to submit an online application. This should take about five minutes to complete. Once you submit your application, you must follow up by scheduling an appointment at an enrollment center (locations found within the application). The enrollment center will take your fingerprints for a background check, and should take about 10 minutes.
Once you’re approved for TSA PreCheck, enter your dedicated “Known Traveler Number” to your flight bookings or your frequent flyer accounts to speed through security. Remember, you’ll have to renew your membership every five years, and you’ll want to pay the fee with the right credit card to earn the statement credit.
How to apply for Global Entry
The application for Global Entry is a little more stringent, but if you’re approved, you’ll be cleared for TSA PreCheck as well. It requires a rigorous background check and an in-person interview, to be completed at one of 380-plus enrollment centers across the country. If you’ve had trouble with the law in any country, you’re unlikely to be approved for this security clearance.
To use the Global Entry feature, visit the designated Global Entry kiosks in applicable airports when arriving back to the US. These automated kiosks verify your passport, fingerprints and customs documentation. Once verified, the Global Entry member can go to the baggage claim to pick up their luggage and leave.
Global Entry membership lasts for five years, and you’re able to submit your renewed application once you are 365 days or fewer to your membership expiration date. Being approved for Global Entry also gives you access to TSA PreCheck. Simply enter your Global Entry member number into the “Known Traveler Number” when booking your flights.
Should I choose a credit card solely for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry?
You shouldn’t choose a credit card based solely on one of its perks — it’s more important that all of its card features benefit you. If you find yourself in airports frequently, this could be a great benefit to have, but if not, this perk won’t mean much to you.
Along with the additional benefits the card offers, its rewards should match how you spend, and it should offer the redemption options you want. That could mean redeeming for past travel expenses or using point transfers to get a greater value from your rewards.
You also want to look out for fees — if you can’t offset an annual fee with rewards or a welcome bonus, it might not be the right pick for you.
Other useful travel perks
Most travel cards with TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credits also come equipped with a number of other useful perks. These include things like airport lounge access to help reduce stress during a layover or travel insurances that could end up saving you money in certain unexpected situations.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve, Venture and Venture X, for example, all include an impressive array of travel protections, while the Reserve and Venture X offer annual travel statement credits.
How to get the most from your travel card
While a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit is a good way to get extra value from your card, it’s not the only way. You’ll also want to use the card’s other perks, too, if it includes things like annual travel credits, airport lounge access or priority boarding. If you’re paying an annual fee, you’ll want to be sure you can take full advantage of the card whenever you can.
The other way to ensure you’re getting the greatest value from your card is to use your rewards strategically. In most cases, that means transferring your points to the issuer’s hotel and airline partners. While redeeming for travel can typically ensure you’ll get at least 1 cent per point, by using point transfers, you could see a per-point value of 2 cents or more.
Alternatives to a travel card with TSA PreCheck and Global Entry
You can apply for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry on your own, without a credit card that can cover the cost of an application. There are other security clearance programs you could enroll in, like CLEAR or NEXUS. CLEAR is a privately run program that’s more expensive but allows you to bypass the ID verification component altogether, and NEXUS focuses on expediting travel between the US and Canada.
FAQs
TSA PreCheck costs $78 and lasts for five years. Global Entry costs $100 for a five-year membership.
Some airline credit cards that offer a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit include:
Some hotel credit cards that offer a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit include:
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Expedia Rewards Voyager Card from Citi
If you have children that are 12 or younger, they can accompany a parent or guardian through the TSA PreCheck lane at airport security. Children older than 12 are eligible to get their own TSA PreCheck clearance.
When it comes to Global Entry, every person that comes through — regardless of age — must have Global Entry membership.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles — with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different — and the designated function of a card.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card from American Express, click here.
*All information about the Truist Enjoy Travel Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
