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TSA PreCheck, CLEAR+, or Global Entry? (What's the Difference?)

  • Writer: Jessica Masek
    Jessica Masek
  • Sep 10, 2025
  • 4 min read

If you’ve ever found yourself standing in a mile-long TSA line — hips and feet aching, eyes burning — thinking “I would literally sell my soul to skip this”... then you’ve probably heard of TSA PreCheck, Clear+, and Global Entry.


Three different programs. Three different acronyms. Three different fees. All promising to save you time, but somehow similar and also different. Cool!


Well, as much as airports give me anxiety, I've pretty much white-knuckled it my entire life. So I'm finally giving myself a break and applying for one of these programs.


I'm going through the application process now for my November honeymoon in French Polynesia, so I'm sharing everything I'm learning — that way, it's not as painstaking for you.


Let's break them down — costs, process, and benefits — so you don’t have to learn the hard way (aka: applying for the wrong one and still standing in line, wasting precious "overpriced-drink-before-the-flight" time).


TSA PreCheck

  • Cost: $78 for 5 years (renewal is $70 online).

  • Application: Online form and one quick in-person appointment (usually fingerprinting and ID check).


  • Approval time: Can take a few days to a few weeks.

  • Wait time at the airport: You get to use a shorter security line at over 200 airports. Shoes stay on, laptops stay in the bag, liquids stay put. The dream.

  • Hidden perks you may not know: Kids under 12 can tag along through PreCheck for free. And unlike Clear, PreCheck is backed by the government... which I'm not sure is a good or a bad thing.


Best for: The frequent traveler who flies a few times a year, hates the social anxiety, stress and pressure of the bins, and doesn’t want to spend too much.



CLEAR+

I thought it was just CLEAR, but apparently CLEAR+ is the one that covers flights, etc.


  • Cost: $189 per year (yep, per year — not five years). Some credit cards and airlines will subsidize it, though. See below for the list.


  • Application: Online sign-up, then a 5-minute airport appointment where they scan your eyes and fingerprints. That’s it. You can be set up same-day.


  • Wait time at the airport: You skip straight to the ID check podium. You still have to do security (unless you also have PreCheck). Without PreCheck, it’s like paying for VIP just to wait in the “less bad” line.


  • Hidden perks you may not know: Clear isn’t just for airports. They’re rolling out ID-free entry at stadiums, concerts, and some arenas. Perfect if you want to flex on people at Taylor Swift and Delta.


Best for: The impatient traveler who hates lines more than they hate subscription fees. Also great if you fly out of busy hubs like LAX, JFK, or ATL where lines are truly soul-crushing.


Credit Cards That Cover CLEAR+ (or Reimburse You)


The number of cards that fully cover CLEAR+ is small, but mighty:

  • The Platinum Card® from American Express

  • Business Platinum Card® from American Express

  • American Express® Green Card

  • Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

    • These cards offer a statement credit—up to $199/year, essentially making CLEAR+ free when you use that card to pay.


Airlines That Subsidize CLEAR+


Delta Air Lines:

  • Diamond Medallion and invite-only Delta 360 members get CLEAR+ 100 percent free.

  • Platinum, Gold, and Silver Medallion members, and those with a Delta SkyMiles Amex card, get a reduced rate of $169/year (that’s $40 off the $209 regular price)

  • General SkyMiles members: $199/year.

United Airlines:

  • Premier 1K members get a $70 discount, for a total of it down to $129/year.

  • Global Services members get it for free.

  • Premier Platinum, Gold, and Silver members, and holders of United credit cards, get it at $159/year. Not a ton, but better than nothing.

  • General MileagePlus members can get it for $189/year (whoopdie doo $10 off).

Global Entry


  • Cost: $100 for 5 years.


  • Application: Online form and one an in-person interview with Customs and Border Protection.

    • Pro tip: the hardest part is getting an appointment — sometimes it’s weeks, sometimes months. (You can “enroll on arrival” after a trip abroad to skip the waitlist.)


  • Wait time at the airport: PreCheck is included in your Global Entry membership, so you get all the domestic perks. Plus, when you come back from abroad, you skip the customs line and breeze through a kiosk instead of waiting in the neverending cattle herd.


  • Hidden perks people forget: This works in some other countries, too. For example, it speeds things up in Canada and a handful of other international airports that partner with the U.S. program.


Best for: International travelers who like skipping lines both coming and going.


So Which One Should You Choose?


  • If you’re mostly a domestic traveler who flies a few times a year: Go with TSA PreCheck. It’s cheap, lasts five years, and makes security way less annoying.


  • If you’re constantly in airports and your tolerance for lines is zero: Go with Clear. Pair it with PreCheck if you want the ultimate VIP traveler combo.


  • If you have a passport that’s filling up and you actually leave the country: Global Entry is the no-brainer. You’ll get PreCheck included, so it’s basically a two-for-one.



Final Word


All in all, they kind of overlap. Clear+ gets you through ID check. PreCheck makes security easier. Global Entry makes customs a breeze and includes PreCheck. It’s like the travel industry said, “Let’s make three programs that sound the same but aren’t, and then laugh while travelers try to figure it out.”


Just depends on what your travel needs are! I'm going with Global Entry for my trip to French Polynesia, since it has pre-check included and customs will be easier on the way home. I plan to make a post about my experience doing so!


Anything I missed? Share with us in the comments!


Talk soon xx



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