If airport security and passport lines got you down this summer, now’s the time to look into those fast passes your frequent-flying friends smugly tout.
The best part, unless you’re wary of facial recognition : All three services are speedier than ever at many major airports thanks to new technology. Full disclosure: I have all three and couldn’t live without them. And my pricey travel credit cards cover the charges.
That said, I’m not your average traveler, with 45 flights logged so far this year.
Note that you have to opt into it through the participating airlines by providing passport information or, new this summer, through the digital ID option in Google Wallet (not Apple Wallet). The airlines: American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska and Hawaiian. Travelers can enroll online with proper documents and set up an in person appointment to take fingerprints and a photo. Global Entry, from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is a fast pass back into the U.S. If you’ve landed after a long international flight to a clogged passport-control line, this is for you. And it’s gotten speedier with biometrics. I got through in Seattle last month in seconds, never showing any documents or even stopping at a kiosk. The best part: Global Entry also comes with TSA PreCheck. So if you’re considering TSA PreCheck and fly international even once or twice a year it’s worth it to pay a little more to get the benefits of both. (This is how I get PreCheck). You must have a passport and, unlike TSA PreCheck, travelers must schedule an in-person interview after getting conditionally approved. You can do that at an enrollment center or the airport upon arrival . But U.S.
Touchless ID is currently available on six U.S. airlines at 65 U.S. airports. Price: $85 for five years. There are more than 1,300 enrollment locations. Children 17 and younger can join an adult in line for free, subject to certain rules . Price: $120 for five years. There had been serious application delays as recently as 2023. Customs now says 80% of applications are approved within two weeks.
