A detailed comparison of TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, and Global Entry to help you decide which trusted traveler program is worth your money in 2026.
If you fly more than twice a year, a trusted traveler program will pay for itself in time saved. But with three major options — TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, and Global Entry — choosing the right one can be confusing. Here is the no-nonsense breakdown.
| Feature | TSA PreCheck | CLEAR | Global Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $78 / 5 years | $189 / year | $120 / 5 years |
| What it does | Expedited screening lane | Biometric ID verification | PreCheck + expedited customs |
| Keep shoes on? | Yes | No (unless paired with PreCheck) | Yes |
| Laptop in bag? | Yes | No (unless paired with PreCheck) | Yes |
| Available airports | 200+ | 50+ | All US airports |
| International benefit | No | No | Yes — skip customs lines |
| Enrollment | Online + in-person (10 min) | Airport kiosk (5 min) | Online + in-person interview |
TSA PreCheck is the baseline trusted traveler program and the one most travelers should start with. For $78 over five years ($15.60/year), you get access to dedicated screening lanes where you keep your shoes, belt, and light jacket on. Laptops and liquids stay in your bag.
The time savings are real. According to TSA, 93% of PreCheck passengers wait less than 5 minutes. Compare that to the 30-60+ minute waits common at busy airports during peak hours.
Best for: Domestic travelers who fly 2+ times per year. At $15.60/year, this is the best deal in travel.
CLEAR uses biometric data (fingerprints and iris scans) to verify your identity, letting you skip the line where agents check IDs and boarding passes. You then enter the standard screening lane (or the PreCheck lane if you have both).
At $189/year, CLEAR is significantly more expensive. It shines at airports where the ID check line is the bottleneck — places like LAX and JFK where the line to show your ID can be 20+ minutes even if screening itself is fast.
Best for: Frequent flyers at CLEAR-equipped airports who already have PreCheck and want to eliminate the last wait. CLEAR + PreCheck is the fastest combination available.
Global Entry includes everything in TSA PreCheck plus expedited processing when you return to the US from abroad. Instead of waiting in the customs and immigration line (which can exceed an hour at JFK or MIA), you use an automated kiosk.
At $120 for five years ($24/year), the premium over PreCheck alone is just $8.40/year. If you take even one international trip per year, Global Entry is the obvious choice over standalone PreCheck.
Best for: Anyone who travels internationally at least once every few years. The marginal cost over PreCheck is minimal.
Even with PreCheck, conditions can vary. During the government shutdown, PreCheck lanes have been intermittently closed at some airports due to staffing shortages.
GateReady alerts notify you when conditions change at your airport, so you know to arrive earlier even if you have PreCheck. Fast Pass members also get Smart Routing — recommendations for which checkpoint to use based on real-time data.
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