World of Travel: Global Entry Makes International Arrivals to the US a Breeze

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Global Entry Makes International Arrivals to the US a Breeze

If you travel internationally a few times a year, do yourself a favor and enroll in the Global Entry program. Sponsored by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, participation in the Global Entry program allows you to skip the line when returning to designated airports in the United States. No more waiting in that huge line and no more filling out those U.S. Customs forms!

All you need to do is fill out the application at the Global Entry website and pay a $100 application fee. (If you have the American Express Platinum card, Amex will refund the $100 application fee. This is a new benefit of cardmembership.)

Once your Global Entry application is reviewed, you'll be invited to make an appointment at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office at an airport near you.

The application process took about four weeks in our case and we went to Newark International Airport for our interview with U.S. CBP. The agents played a short video explaining how to use Global Entry and then took our photo and fingerprints. That was it. We were barely in the office for five minutes.

Now, when we re-enter the United States all we need to do is bypass the huge line and look for the Global Entry kiosks. Insert our passports, type in some information, verify our fingerprints and then we'll be on our way!

Global Entry Airports

Boston – Logan International Airport (BOS)

Chicago – O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW)

Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport (DTW)

Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

Houston – George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Honolulu International Airport (HNL)

New York – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Las Vegas – McCarran International Airport (LAS)

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)