If you love to travel, you know that arriving at the airport can bring mixed feelings. Sure, you have the excitement of your upcoming trip. But there’s also the stress and frustration that can come with long security lines.
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry provide travelers with expedited airport security screening, allowing them to skip long lines and get to their gates more quickly. The application fees for the programs are $78 and $120, respectively. But with the right credit card, you can effectively get a complimentary TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership.
Here’s what you need to know about both traveler programs and which credit cards will reimburse you when you apply.
How we evaluate products
All of the cards we considered had one thing in common: a statement credit for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. So, when it came down to narrowing down our list of the best cards, we looked at what benefits they offered above and beyond that.
Because people looking for this type of card are likely frequent travelers, we specifically looked at cards with excellent travel perks, including no foreign transaction fees, airport lounge access, travel insurance, annual travel credits, and more. While we included one airline card on our list, we primarily aimed to include flexible cards that could be used with any airline.
We also considered other card features, including annual fees, welcome offers, rewards rates, and other benefits. Ultimately, we included cards with a variety of benefits at a variety of price points so that each person could find one that works for them.
7 best credit cards for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
Compare the best credit cards for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
Plenty of travel rewards credit cards offer complimentary TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership in the form of a reimbursement of the application fee or by using rewards points. The statement credit typically happens automatically, so you’ll just need to set up an appointment with the correct agency and use your credit card to pay the fee.
A few of these cards really stand out for people looking to get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, along with a slew of other travel benefits.
Card name | Main travel benefits | Annual fee |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
|
$95 |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
|
$550 |
The Platinum Card® from American Express |
|
$695 |
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
|
$395 |
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card |
|
$95 |
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card |
|
$350 |
|
$0 |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards rate: 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25
Annual fee: $95
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card stands out from other travel credit cards for its high flat-rate rewards rate. While many cards offer elevated rates in certain bonus categories, the Venture Rewards offers an impressive 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day — and that’s on top of the higher rewards rate for Capital One Travel bookings.
In addition to its TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit, this card offers travel perks that include no foreign transaction fees, a $50 experience credit on Lifestyle Collection Bookings, Hertz Five Star Status, auto rental collision damage waiver, and travel accident insurance.1 <p class="">For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.<br></p>
- High flat-rate rewards
- Relatively low annual fee
- Generous welcome offer
- No foreign transaction fees
- No airline or hotel travel credits
- Relatively low redemption value
- No major U.S. airlines as travel partners
Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards rate: 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases
Annual fee: $550
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is Chase’s premium travel credit card, not to mention one of the most popular on the market. Though it has a high annual fee, it makes up for it with its benefits, including high rewards rates and a $300 annual travel credit.
It has a long list of travel perks in addition to its TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit (which can also be used for NEXUS). Those perks include no foreign transaction fees, complimentary airport lounge access, rental car status upgrades, and more than half a dozen different types of travel insurance and protection — more than you’ll find with just about any other credit card.
As a final bonus, this card has an elevated redemption opportunity. If you use your points to book travel through Chase Travel, you’ll get 50% more value for your points. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 instead of $600.
- Complimentary airport lounge access
- High bonus rewards rates
- No foreign transaction fee
- Many types of travel protection
- High annual fee
- Additional fee for each authorized user
- Requires $300 of travel spending before bonus rewards rate kicks in
Apply now or Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months
Rewards rate: 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Annual fee: $695
It’s easy to balk when you see the $695 annual fee of the The Platinum Card® from American Express, but this card more than makes up for it with all of its perks. First, it has an impressive welcome offer. And while I wish it had a higher rewards rate in some other categories, you’ll earn a high amount of points on American Express Travel Bookings.
Where this card really shines is in its annual statement credits. Those include:
- Up to a $200 hotel credit
- Up to a $240 digital entertainment credit
- Up to a $155 Walmart+ credit
- Up to a $200 Uber Cash
- Up to a $200 airline fee credit
- Up to a $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue statement credits
- Up to a $199 CLEAR Plus credit
- Enrollment required for select benefits
- Generous welcome offer
- Complimentary airport lounge access
- Luxury travel perks
- No foreign transaction fees
- High annual fee
- High spend required for welcome offer
- Few bonus categories
Learn how to apply or Read our American Express Platinum Card review.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards rate: 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25
Annual fee: $395
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has some of our favorite travel perks on the market. This card has high bonus category rewards rates, not to mention one of the highest non-bonus category rewards rate we’ve seen.
This card really shines for its travel perks, including a $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel, complimentary lounge access, luxury rental credit, Lifestyle Collection experience credit, Hertz President's Circle status, auto rental collision coverage, and more.1 <p class="">For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.<br></p> 2 <p class="">Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply<br></p>
- Generous welcome offer
- Complimentary airport lounge access
- No foreign transaction fees
- High bonus and non-bonus reward rates
- High annual fee
- Relatively low redemption value
- No major U.S. airlines as travel partners
Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 online bonus points (a $600 value) after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Rewards rate: 2 points per $1 on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points per $1 on all other purchases
Annual fee: $95
The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is a great option if you want the benefit of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credits but don’t want to pay a high annual fee. While the perks aren’t as big as some of the other cards we’ve talked about, they more than pay for the annual fee.
For example, you’ll get $200 in annual travel statement credits, $100 of which can pay for airline incidental costs. It also comes with certain travel insurances to ensure you’re protected on your trip.
- Relatively low annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Annual travel statement credits
- Limited rewards redemption options
- Limited bonus category rewards rates
Apply now or Read our Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card review.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months
Rewards rate: 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and at hotels; 2X miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets; and 1X miles for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
Annual fee: $350
If you’re a die-hard Delta customer, then the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card could be a good option for you. Though this card has a high annual fee, it has plenty of perks to make up for it, starting with its generous welcome offer and variety of bonus rewards categories.
This card has a few Delta-specific perks, including your first checked bag free on Delta flights, a $150 annual Delta Stays credit, $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars to get you closer to Status, $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $20 you spend on your card, and 15% off Award Travel with Delta flights, just to name a few.
An especially attractive perk is the annual companion certificate, which you can use on main cabin flights to domestic locations, the Caribbean, or Central America.
- Generous welcome offer
- Annual Delta flight credits
- Free checked bag on Delta flights
- Companion pass on certain flights
- High annual fee
- Doesn’t work with other airlines
Learn how to apply or Read our Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card review.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening
Rewards rate: 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center; 4X points on travel, and at gas stations and EV charging stations on the first $1,000 each quarter (wholesale clubs and discount stores/supercenters excluded); 2X points on dining, streaming services and at grocery stores; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases
Annual fee: $0
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is one of just a handful of cards that offers a TSA PreCheck and Global Entry without charging an annual fee. That means that your TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, along with the card’s other perks, are entirely free.
While it has a relatively low welcome offer, the card has impressive bonus categories and rewards rates. On top of that, it has a 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers (then 17.49% to 28.49% (Variable)), so you could use it to help you pay off debt.
- $0 annual fee
- Generous rewards rates
- Complimentary airport lounge access
- 0% APR introductory offer on balance transfers
- Low welcome offer
- No airline or hotel travel credits
Read our U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature review.
What is TSA PreCheck?
TSA PreCheck is a program designed to accelerate the security screening process for flights originating in the U.S. There are TSA PreCheck stations at more than 200 airports throughout the country, with 65 airlines participating.
This program allows you to go through an expedited security lane at the airport. You won’t need to remove your shoes, laptop, liquids, belt, or light jacket. While it requires an interview and a fee to sign up, it's good for five years and allows you to bring your children through the TSA PreCheck line with you.
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), 99% of TSA PreCheck passengers wait 10 minutes or less when going through security.
What is Global Entry?
The primary purpose of Global Entry is to provide expedited screening at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) security checkpoints in 75 airports worldwide. Instead of going through the regular inspection line, you use an automated kiosk, present your passport or permanent resident card, scan your fingerprints, and submit your customs declaration. Depending on the situation, it can save you a lot of time when returning to the U.S. from a trip abroad.
Global Entry membership costs a little bit more at $120 for five years. But even if you’re not getting it covered by your credit card, the extra $15 is usually worth it because Global Entry includes eligibility for TSA PreCheck.
Unfortunately, young family members can’t accompany you as they can with TSA PreCheck. Each person needs to have their own Global Entry membership to use the kiosk.
How to pick the right card for complimentary TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
As you compare card options, consider them holistically, including this benefit as well as their rewards programs, welcome offers, other perks, and annual fees. There’s no single best credit card out there for everyone, so it’s good to know what you want before you apply.
Regardless of which one you choose, you’re one step closer to shorter lines and a quicker security experience at the airport.
Explore more popular credit cards:
- Chase credit card offers
- U.S. Bank credit card offers
- Citi credit card offers
- Capital One credit card offers
The right travel card for you is the one that matches your interests and spending habits, allowing you to earn valuable rewards and travel the way you like — for less. Learn more about these top cards and choose the one that's best for you:
- For no annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
- For flexible points and travel partners: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- For airport lounge access: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- For unlimited 3X points in popular categories: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
- For business travel: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
FAQs
Which is better, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry?
While both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry offer the benefit of expedited airport security, the programs have an important difference. TSA PreCheck accelerates the security screening process for flights originating in the U.S., while Global Entry membership may save you time at U.S. customs after you return from a trip abroad.
Do you get TSA PreCheck with Global Entry?
Yes, you get TSA PreCheck benefits with a Global Entry membership. U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in other trusted traveler programs, such as NEXUS or SENTRI, can also get TSA PreCheck benefits.
How can I get Global Entry for free?
While you technically can't get a Global Entry membership for free, you can get a fee credit. Several rewards credit cards and certain airline loyalty programs offer reimbursement for the application fee. Rewards cards that offer this reimbursement include:
How long does it take to get approved for Global Entry?
Approval times can vary by application, but according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, approvals typically take about six months.
Bottom line
If you love to travel and want to avoid long airport security lines, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry can be the game-changer membership you need. With expedited screening and the ability to skip time-consuming procedures, these programs offer a smoother airport experience.
The best part is that many travel rewards credit cards provide complimentary TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership as a benefit. This includes cards such as the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, and Chase Sapphire Reserve®.