The Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards
Friday, March 29, 2024

Best Credit Cards For Global Entry & TSA PreCheck® Reimbursement

Best Credit Cards For Global Entry Tsa Precheck
Adam West

Written by: Adam West

Adam West
Adam West

Adam corresponds with finance experts to publish industry news coverage related to helping consumers achieve greater financial literacy and improved credit. He has more than 12 years of storytelling, editing, and design experience in print and online journalism and is most knowledgeable in the areas of credit scores, financial products and services, and the banking industry.

See full bio »

Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro
Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Florida. Today, Lillian edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

See full bio »
Advertiser Disclosure

Frequent travelers understand the misery of long airport security lines — unless they have one of the best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck®. These cards reimburse you for all or part of your fees to join one of these services and can make your travel experience even better with added benefits that come with being a cardholder (lounge access, anyone?).

There’s no need to wait in line while holding your belt and shoes, nervously staring as the minutes melt from the clock and your departure time nears. Instead, you could breeze through security, leave the other travelers in the dust, and still have time to grab a snack before boarding.

Best Overall
Consumer | Business | FAQs | Ranking Methodology

Best Overall Card For Global Entry & TSA PreCheck®

Whether you travel domestically or globally, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has your back. All cardmembers receive a $100 application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® — but that’s just the beginning.

  • 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 Travel℠.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • 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 every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
22.49%-29.49% Variable
$550
Good/Excellent

As a cardholder, you’ll receive $300 in travel credits each year that you can use to reimburse travel expenses for business or pleasure. After you receive your travel credit, you’ll begin accruing elevated Ultimate Rewards points on all travel-related expenses. And you’ll get 50% more value for all of your points when you redeem them through the Chase portal.

All this, plus you’ll have access to more than 1,300 premium lounges through your Priority Pass™ Select membership.

Other Top Cards For Global Entry & TSA PreCheck®

Some travel credit cards place limitations on how and when you can redeem your points. They impose blackout dates or carrier restrictions, so you can only book your travel during a predetermined availability window.

Other cards, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, accrue miles that you can redeem to cover all or part of a previous travel-related purchase. And, for the benefit you specifically seek — cardholders receive up to a $100 application fee credit for your choice of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.

AIR MILES RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • 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
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • 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
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$95
Excellent, Good

You’ll find no restrictions on how and when you redeem your miles, and your earnings have no expiration date, giving you the freedom to use your rewards whenever, and however, you choose.

The Platinum Card® Review

at the issuer'ssecure website

AIR MILES RATING

0.0

OVERALL RATING

4.7/5.0
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new card to make $6,000 in purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points for flights booked directly through airlines or American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Also earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.
  • $200 annual hotel credit, $200 annual airline fee credit, $25 monthly Equinox credit, $15 monthly Uber cash credit, $50 bi-annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, and more.
  • Platinum Card Members have unlimited complimentary access to all locations of The Global Lounge Collection, including 1,400 airport lounges across 650 cities.
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status. Enrollment required.
  • Choose among three card designs
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.49% - 27.49% Pay Over Time
$695
Excellent

The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been a frontrunner in the luxury travel card category. For a hefty annual fee, you can earn 5X membership rewards points for flights booked directly with airlines or flight and hotel bookings on American Express Travel.

Of course, benefits also include a statement credit toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or CLEAR fees when you use your Platinum American Express Card to pay for the application.

AIR MILES RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • 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
  • Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
  • Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
  • Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$395
Excellent

A Capital One premium travel rewards card to rival the Reserve and Platinum offerings is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It has annual travel and anniversary credits that offset the annual fee, plus reimbursement for TSA Precheck or Global Entry fees.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review

at the issuer'ssecure website

AIR MILES RATING

0.0

OVERALL RATING

4.6/5.0
  • Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 6X Points on hotels for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3X Points at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X Points for each dollar on everything else.
  • Enjoy up to $25 a month in Dining statement credits each calendar year for eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide.
  • Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
  • Book direct using a special rate for a 2-night minimum stay at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® and get up to $100 in credit for qualifying charges.
  • With Card Membership, you can enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited access to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
$650
Excellent

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card pays out Marriott Bonvoy points on all purchases. All cardholders also receive a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 credit for TSA PreCheck® as well as complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and one free night at participating hotels and resorts each year.

Cardholders also get return protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty benefits — making this a great card to purchase electronics and other pricey items with.

Business Cards For Global Entry & TSA PreCheck®

If your business has you constantly traveling by air, you don’t want long security lines slowing you down. After all, time is money — and you can’t make money if you’re waiting in line.

With the cards below, you can earn premium rewards to help your business grow — and some will give you statement credits to pay for your TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry membership to speed up the security process.

AIR MILES RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
  • Unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
  • Skip the lines with up to a $100 statement credit on TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
26.24% (Variable)
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Excellent, Good

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is our top choice for business travel credit cards because it doesn’t limit how you redeem your miles. Instead of navigating blackout dates and carrier restrictions, you can redeem your miles for statement credits that eliminate some, or all, of your previous travel-related expenses.

And, you’ll receive a statement credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, whichever you prefer.

Business Platinum Card® from American Express Review

at the issuer'ssecure website

BUSINESS CARD RATING

★★★★★
4.6

OVERALL RATING

4.6/5.0
  • Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of card membership
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, 1.5X points on business categories and purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million per calendar year, and 1X point for each dollar you spend on other purchases.
  • Get up to $400 back per year toward U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies, up to $360 back per year for purchases with Indeed, and $120 back per year for wireless telephone service purchases on the Business Platinum Card, plus additional credits. Enrollment is required for all.
  • Access to more than 1,400 lounges across 140 countries and counting with the American Express Global Lounge Collection®
  • Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of an eligible fare and get 35% of those points back, up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year
  • $695 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
18.74% - 26.74% Pay Over Time
$695
Excellent

Business Platinum Card® from American Express charges a hefty annual fee, but you can offset that upfront cost if you properly manage the card’s many rewards. This includes 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels arranged through amextravel.com, an annual airline fee credit, and several business-related annual credits when you enroll.

When you pay with Membership Rewards points for all or part of an eligible airfare, you’ll get 35% of those points back. A $100 statement credit for Global Entry or $85 toward TSA PreCheck® membership helps get you through security and into one of the more than 1,200 lounges you’ll have access to through the American Express Global Lounge Collection.

BUSINESS CARD RATING

★★★★★
4.5

OVERALL RATING

  • Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • 9,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
  • Earn 4X pts on Southwest® purchases.
  • Earn 3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
  • Earn 2X points on rideshare.
  • Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services and 1X points on all other purchases.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
$199
Good/Excellent

Southwest remains one of the country’s most popular airlines because of its low prices and high-end customer service. With the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, you can access the best of the airline carrier and all it has to offer.

After your first year with the card, you’ll also receive 9,000 bonus points that you can redeem for flights, gift cards, and more. You’ll also qualify for A-List status quicker because you can earn 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $10,000 spent. You need to earn 35,000 tier qualifying points or fly 25 Southwest Airlines® one-way qualifying flights per calendar year to qualify for A-List status.

What’s the Difference Between Global Entry & TSAPreCheck®?

You can join TSA PreCheck® as a standalone service or pay a little more to get the benefits of Global Entry in one membership.

TSA PreCheck™ vs. Global Entry

TSA PreCheck® provides expedited security screening for flights departing from U.S. Airports. If you’ve flown lately, you’ve likely seen the separate line at most airport security checkpoints.

This line allows travelers to pass to the front of security. Most airports also allow members to get through security with fewer hurdles, such as taking off their shoes and belt.

Global Entry provides expedited U.S. customs screening for international travelers entering the United States. All international travelers must go through a security screening when entering the U.S. that can sometimes take hours to complete (depending on your arrival airport). Global Entry members check in at the Global Entry kiosk, which can save a tremendous amount of time on your trip.

TSA PreCheck® costs $85 and Global Entry costs $100 for a five-year membership. You can sign up at a local enrollment center or online through the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP).

The current processing time for new member applications is between two weeks and six months, so be sure to apply well before your next trip if you want to save time at the airport.

Can I Upgrade TSA PreCheck® to Global Entry?

Unfortunately, you cannot. While Global Entry members get all the benefits of TSA PreCheck®, you can only access the expedited customs screening process with a Global Entry membership.

Based on the current fee schedule, Global Entry costs just $15 more ($100) than TSA PreCheck® ($85) for a five-year membership. If you regularly travel abroad, it’s worth the added cost.

TSA PreCheck™ and Global Entry Price Comparison

You must pay the $100 fee at the time of signup if you decide to add Global Entry — you cannot pay the $15 difference at a later date to add it.

Some people opt only for the TSA PreCheck® membership because the TSA has a history of rejecting Global Entry applications for seemingly minor infractions.

Plus, you’ll likely have to schedule an in-person interview for Global Entry consideration.

These appointments fill up fast and have limited interview locations. Some view this as an inconvenience if you don’t plan on using the service frequently.

If you qualify for both memberships, live close enough to an interview center, and plan on using the membership more than once over the five-year period, it’s worth the small added expense and time investment to minimize the security delays during overseas travel.

What is the Current Wait Time For Global Entry?

If you’re a first-time applicant to the program, you should plan for, at a minimum, a 90-day wait for approval. Unlike passports or other travel paperwork, you cannot pay for expedited Global Entry service.

Once you’ve submitted your application, you can track the vetting process through the Trusted Traveler Program website. The website provides updates on your application status and quickly notifies you if you’ve been approved, denied, or received conditional approval pending the submission of more information.

Screenshot from TTP Website

You can check the status of your application from your TTP Dashboard, which is displayed after you log in.

If conditionally approved, you will receive a notification to schedule an in-person interview. You must schedule this within 365 days of the update or risk losing your application fee.

If you’re not a frequent overseas traveler, you may want to consider the basic TSA PreCheck® program. While this program won’t help you with customs wait times, you can at least breeze through domestic security lines.

The current wait time to receive a decision on your TSA PreCheck® application is between two and three weeks after you submit it. Your membership — either through TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry — is good for five years after approval. More than 200 airports support TSA PreCheck®.

Is Global Entry Worth it?

If you regularly travel internationally, you can reap many rewards by breezing through security lines at domestic airports and customs checkpoints.

The average security wait time at some U.S. airports can be as long as one hour during busy times. Other U.S. airports (SFO being the slowest) may take up to an additional hour — or longer — when you’re returning to the U.S. from another country.

That said, the process to gain Global Entry access isn’t quick or painless. It can include an extensive interview, fees, and at least a six-month wait time before you receive a verdict.

And, if you’re denied, you won’t receive a refund of your fees. Archaic rules in the TSA’s acceptance standards cause applicants to be denied for seemingly minor infractions that may have taken place several years ago.

That said, Global Entry is a tremendously beneficial program for frequent international travelers. But, if you don’t plan on leaving the U.S. much over the next five years, you may want to consider signing up for TSA PreCheck® instead.

TSA PreCheck™ Program

You may consider TSA PreCheck® instead of Global Entry if your flights are mostly domestic. Photo credits: tsa.gov

This will help you save time on your domestic flights, and it has far more lenient acceptance standards with a two- to three-week turnaround.

Ranking Methodology

Our list of the best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® benefits evaluates cards that reimburse cardholders for the fees associated with these services. We assessed each card’s annual fees, rates and terms offered, rewards programs and redemption values, other travel perks offered, and other criteria relevant to this article.

CardRates’ reviews undergo a thorough editorial integrity process to ensure that content is not compromised by advertiser influence.

Advertiser Disclosure

CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.