Whether you’re a frequent traveler or not, free Global Entry from credit cards can make a significant difference in your travel experience. If you’re approved as part of this trusted traveler program, you can enjoy an expedited customs experience.
An added perk? Applicants who are approved for Global Entry also receive TSA PreCheck, meaning a shorter line and less restrictive airport screening.
Global Entry is valid for four years and the application is just $100. That makes it a no-brainer, considering all the hassle it will save you at the airport. But lots of credit cards will actually cover this fee as part of their cardholder benefits.
If you have any of the below-listed credit cards, you can get free Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. All you have to do is charge the fee to the card and the credit will apply automatically.
Credit cards that offer free Global Entry application fee credits
The following credit cards cover Global Entry application fee credits:
Bank of America Premium Rewards credit
Bank of America has been slacking on the rewards program front, but the Premium Rewards credit card is actually pretty impressive. The card currently offers 50,000 points after $3,000 spent in the first 90 days. That’s equivalent to about $500, which is a solid offer.
Additionally, Premium Rewards cardholders get a $100 Airline Incidental Statement Credit along with $100 towards Global Entry application fees every four years. That’s an incredibly generous offer for a card with a $95 annual fee.
Capital One Venture Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards card is only one of three cards on the list that offers a Global Entry fee credit every four years without a massive annual fee. The card’s annual fee is just $95, which is waived the first year. The card also earns 2x on all spending (the equivalent of 2% cash back).
Regardless of its other perks, the low annual fee means you’ll come out ahead by taking advantage of the $100 Global Entry fee credit.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Everyone’s favorite rewards credit card doesn’t fall behind other premium competitors when it comes to offering free Global Entry. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders are eligible for one every four years, which helps make the $450 annual fee much more palatable (along with the other long list of benefits).
Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard kind of lost its luster after those 100,000-mile sign-up bonuses dried up. But the card continues to offer benefits that make the $450 a little easier to justify. Including complimentary Admirals Club Membership and (you guessed it), a $100 fee credit every five years.
It’s unfortunate that the credit is issued less frequently than on the other cards on this list, but that’s the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard for you.
Citi Prestige Card
The Citi Prestige recently introduced some unfortunate changes, but it could have been a lot worse, so I’m not sweating it. The card still offers lots of great travel benefits, like a $250 travel credit, complimentary 4th night free (on two bookings a year), Priority Pass Select membership, and a $100 Global Entry fee credit every four years.
Not bad for a card with a $495 annual fee and category bonuses to boot!
IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
Don’t let the word “Premier” fool you. The IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card is one of those rare cards that offer very generous rewards yet carry a very reasonable annual fee: $89.
It’s actually surprising that in addition to benefits like Platinum status, fourth night free (on award redemptions), free anniversary night, the card also offers a $100 Global Entry fee credit.
American Express Platinum Card
Along with the Business version, the American Express Platinum Card was one of the earliest credit cards to offer a $100 fee credit towards GE or TSA PreCheck every four years.
American Express was also one of the earliest cards to charge a $450+ annual fee. A perk like this was essential to making that fee a little more palatable to customers of that time.
United Explorer Cardy
In an impressive effort to distinguish it from other standard airline credit cards, the United Explorer Card offers a $100 Global Entry fee credit every four years.
Meanwhile, the card only charges a $95 annual fee, which is waived the first year. Not bad when you pair this with the card’s current 60,000-mile sign-up bonus, free checked bag benefit, a 2x bonus on dining, hotels, and United purchases.
Global Entry Application Information
You can learn more about the Global Entry application process here. I applied back in February using the credit from my Citi Prestige card. The process was pretty easy. Six weeks later, I was notified that I was conditionally approved, pending an interview.
This is where it gets tricky. I can either take a day off and drive an hour and a half to SFO to get it over with, or I can do an interview upon arrival at Sacramento Airport after my next international trip.
Sacramento is much more convenient (and close). But I don’t know if I’ll be able to route an international trip through the airport any time soon. Plus, I would really like to have Global Entry before my next trip abroad or PreCheck before my next bureaucratic groping at LAX.
I’ll probably bite the bullet and schedule an interview at SFO when I get the motivation. At least, I keep telling myself, I won’t have to do this again for another four years.
Have you utilized any of these credit cards to cover your Global Entry fee?
Citi Prestige has this 1x/year? I thought it was once every 4 (or 5?).. didn’t think it was every year.
Nope! Typo. All of them are once every four years, except for the Citi AA Executive, which is once every five years.
Did the GE enrollment with 2 cards – one for me and one for my wife. Unfortunately, I applied 3 weeks before the government shutdown and getting approved was a nightmare. It took almost 3 months and I was finally approved during our trip to Fiji in February (my wife was approved 3 days after applying – but not me!) , so we were able to do Enrollment On Entry at LAX on our return.
I used my GE credit from my CSR for me and the GE credit on my my Barclay Aviator Silver card for my wife. Both credits posted immediately upon charging the fee.
That’s awful! So glad you eventually got it worked out. Was the interview on arrival pretty fast? I honestly would rather fly to Mexico or somewhere international to be eligible for on-arrival at SMF than drive all the way down to SFO.
Yes, it was very simple and quick. At LAX, anyway, there is a dedicated lane for Enrollment On Arrival, and we were the only ones in the line. I doubt it took 10 minutes for both of us to complete the process.
Just ask any CBP officer when you enter your arrival hall and they will have the information you need if it is available there. You can also go on the CBP website and see a list of airports that offer Enrollment On Arrival.
Good to know! This has been on my to-do list for a while so I gotta check it off soon.
I have a card that gives me GE with no annual fee…..FNBO Travelite amex….very highly underrated card hehe…
Not bad! How MS friendly are they?
Pretty well…plus they give you an annual $100 airline incidental credit.