I have done a lot of dumb things in my travel career, but one of the smartest things I have ever done is spend $120 on Global Entry. That single decision has saved me dozens of hours standing in immigration lines and — on one memorable return from the Philippines — let us beat our own checked bags to the carousel while hundreds of people snaked through the immigration hall at SFO.
Here is the full story, including the part where I got denied the first time.
What Is Global Entry and Is It Worth $120?
Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) trusted traveler program that gives you expedited entry into the United States. Instead of standing in the regular immigration line when you land at a US airport from an international flight, you walk to a Global Entry kiosk, scan your passport or use facial recognition, answer a couple of questions on a screen, and walk through. The whole process takes about two minutes.
The program costs $120 for five years. That works out to $24 per year. It also includes TSA PreCheck at no additional cost, which means you keep your shoes on, your laptop stays in the bag, and you use the shorter security line on domestic flights.
Until recently, SENTRI was a separate program for expedited crossing at US-Mexico land borders. They have now been combined — your $120 covers Global Entry kiosks at airports, dedicated SENTRI lanes at land border crossings, and TSA PreCheck for domestic security.
For anyone who flies internationally even once a year, it is worth every penny. For those of us who fly to Southeast Asia regularly, where transpacific flights land during peak international arrival windows, it is an absolute game changer.
How I Got Denied the First Time
I need to rewind to 2007 for this part, because it is relevant to anyone worried about their application being rejected.
I was coming back from a trip to Cambodia. At customs in the US, officers found a Cuban cigar in my bag. At the time, bringing Cuban cigars into the United States was a customs violation regardless of where you bought them — the embargo applied to the product, not the country of purchase. It was one cigar I had picked up at a market. But it went on my record as a customs violation.
When I first applied for the trusted traveler program, I was denied. The customs violation flagged my application, and that was the end of it. No interview, no appeal, just a rejection.
I was frustrated, but I moved on. For years I stood in regular immigration lines like everyone else.
Skip the Line
Two minutes through immigration while everyone else waits an hour.
What Changed When I Applied Again
A few years ago, I decided to try again. Enough time had passed since the violation, and I had maintained a clean travel record. I filled out the application on the Trusted Traveler Programs website, disclosed everything — the cigar, the denial, all of it — and submitted.
I received conditional approval. I booked an interview at the nearest Global Entry enrollment center, sat down with a CBP officer, and was completely upfront about the Cuban cigar incident. The officer appreciated the honesty. We talked for maybe ten minutes. At the end, he approved my application on the spot.
The lesson: a past denial does not mean a permanent denial. If you have been rejected before, wait a reasonable amount of time, maintain a clean record, and apply again. Be honest in the interview. CBP officers have seen everything — they are evaluating your trustworthiness, and nothing demonstrates trust like proactively bringing up the thing you are worried about.
Why It Matters for Thailand Travelers
This is where the program proved its worth for us in a very tangible way.
Flying back from Asia means landing during peak international arrival hours at US airports. On a recent return trip, we landed at San Francisco International Airport during one of those afternoons where multiple international flights had arrived within the same window — flights from Asia, Europe, and Latin America all converging at once. The immigration hall was packed. The line for regular passport control stretched out the door, with people facing an hour-plus wait after sitting on 12-hour-plus transpacific flights.
We walked right past all of it. The Global Entry line had maybe three people in front of us. Scanned the passport, looked at the camera for facial recognition, grabbed the receipt, and we were through in under two minutes. We got to the baggage carousel before our checked bags had even come out.
Whether you are flying back from Bangkok, Phuket, or Chiang Mai, you are landing on a long-haul flight and facing the same crowded immigration hall. Global Entry lets you skip it entirely. After 15-plus hours of travel with a toddler, that is not a luxury — it is a survival strategy.
How to Apply for Global Entry
The application process is straightforward:
1. Apply online at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. Create a Trusted Traveler Programs account and fill out the application. You will provide personal information, travel history for the past five years, and employment history. The fee is $120, paid by credit card.
2. Wait for conditional approval. CBP runs a background check. This can take a few weeks to a few months. Check your application status regularly by logging into your TTP account.
3. Schedule your interview. Once conditionally approved, schedule an in-person interview at a Global Entry enrollment center at a major international airport. Be flexible on location if your nearest center has a long wait.
4. Attend the interview. Bring your passport. The interview is usually 10 to 15 minutes. Be honest about everything — past customs violations, previous denials, anything. Transparency is what they are looking for.
5. Get approved. Most people are approved at the end of the interview. Your membership is active immediately — you can use the kiosks at airports right away.
6. Renew before expiration. Renew online through your TTP account up to one year before your expiration date.
The full timeline from application to active membership is typically two to six months. Do not wait until the week before a trip — apply well in advance.
Is It Worth It?
Without hesitation. If you fly internationally even once, the program pays for itself on that single return trip. For frequent travelers to Thailand and Southeast Asia, it removes one of the most frustrating parts of the journey home.
Apply at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. Your future self, walking past the hour-long immigration line after a long flight from Bangkok, will thank you.