See you suckers on the other side of immigration! The Global Entry program lets you beat the crowd and you don't even have to be anyone important or fly 3 billion miles a year.
The program is for dudes and dudettes who make international travel a habit. Basically, it's a government program that you can apply for, and after some checks to make sure you're not a Lisbeth Salander or that you're not on the F.B.I's (or Interpol's) most loved list, letting you go straight to the fast lane at customs. Yes, I hate you.
Given that it's a government program, you actually have to undergo interviews with the U.S. government to make sure you're a low-risk traveler. This means if you've got a criminal history, have failed to adhere to any immigration rules or fall under any of these bad categories on this list, you probably won't get admitted into the program.
The program costs about $100 to apply, and it's pretty much valid for five years, which is a pretty good deal unless you're a pure cheapo like me. There are certain traveling programs and credit cards that will let you waive the fee: American Express' Platinum Card will cover your Global Entry application fee, but the annual fee is $450 - ouch! United Premier Platinum members (those who fly over 75,000 miles a year) and above also get completely subsidized Global Entry application fees. The card itself - once you're approved - only costs about $15.
Another great thing is that you don't have to be American to apply. The program is open to Mexican citizens, too. Certain Dutch, Canadian and Korean citizens also can apply but they have to be enrolled in a certain programs. (Deets.)
The program pretty much serves 33 different airports throughout the States and Canada, and all of the main international hubs that go through U.S. (Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, etc.). The full list is below.
- Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS)
- Calgary International Airport (YYC)
- Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
- Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
- Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH)
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York (JFK)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas (LAS)
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
- Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB)
- Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW)
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport-SeaTac (SEA)
- Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
- Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
- Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)
- Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)
