Yes, You Can Get Global Entry for Free—Here's How

Travel + Leisure

19-05-2025

If you've flown internationally, you probably know the feeling: the high of a thrilling trip abroad, followed by the crushing low of the endless customs line waiting for you back home.
Most travelers have to simply endure the long wait that comes with entry to the United States, but Global Entry can be your ticket to a faster arrival. This Customs & Border Protection program allows approved members to join an expedited passport clearance line, significantly reducing wait times at the more than 70 airports that utilize the service. Global Entry is usable both at eligible U.S. airports and at certain airports abroad where U.S. customs preclearance is offered, like Dublin Airport in Ireland and Toronto Pearson in Canada—and it also comes with the expedited security benefits of TSA PreCheck.
All those perks come at a cost, but certain credit cards can cover the fees for you. Keep reading to learn exactly how to get Global Entry for free.
As of May 2025, it costs $120 to apply for Global Entry. If you're approved, that fee is all you have to pay for five years. Global Entry memberships expire after five years, at which point you simply have to apply for renewal and pay the fee again.
The requirements for joining the program are somewhat complicated. In addition to an online application, aspiring Global Entry members must complete an in-person interview and undergo a thorough background check. To be eligible for the program, you must be 18 years or older (or applying with the permission of a parent or guardian) and a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S. or one of the several partner countries that allow participation in Global Entry, including the United Kingdom, Mexico, and more.
You may be ineligible for Global Entry if you've been convicted of a crime, if you provide false information on your application, or if you've violated immigration or customs policies in any country, among other issues. For full details on Global Entry eligibility, consult the program's website.
Michael Paulsen/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
It is possible to apply for Global Entry without shouldering that $120 cost, primarily through the use of a qualified credit card. Quite a few cards will cover the cost of the Global Entry application fee, typically as a statement credit issued after the cardholder pays upfront. Most eligible cards offer this benefit once every four years or so, meaning you won't be able to use the perk to enroll the whole family (but you should be able to use it each time you're due for a five-year renewal).
Qualified cards range from beginner-friendly credit lines with no annual fee to exclusive high-end cards, and from personal accounts to corporate cards. The credit cards currently offering free Global Entry include the following, listed with their annual fees. Aeroplan® Credit Card: $95 annual fee
American Express Business Platinum Card®: $695 annual fee
American Express Centurion® Card: $5,000 annual fee
American Express® Corporate Gold Card: $250 annual fee
American Express Corporate Platinum Card®: $550 annual fee
American Express Platinum Card®: $650 annual fee
Arvest Visa Signature® Credit Card: $0 annual fee
Capital One® Spark® Miles Business Card: $95 annual fee (waived the first year)
Capital One® Venture® Card: $95 annual fee
Capital One® Venture X® Business Card: $395 annual fee
Capital One® Venture X® Card: $395 annual fee
Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard®: $95 annual fee
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite MasterCard®: $595 annual fee
Citi Prestige® Card: $495 annual fee
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Personal Card: $350 annual fee
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Business Card: $350 annual fee
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Personal Card: $650 annual fee
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Business Card: $650 annual fee
HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard®: $495 annual fee
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: $99 annual fee
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card: $99 annual fee
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card: $650 annual fee
MasterCard® Black Card™: $495 annual fee
MasterCard® Gold Card™: $995 annual fee
Navy Federal's Visa Signature® Flagship Rewards Card: $49 annual fee
One Key+™ Card: $99 annual fee
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card: $95 annual fee
Provident World+ Travel®: $45 annual fee (waived the first year)
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: $199 annual fee
Truist Enjoy Beyond Credit Card: $95 annual fee
UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card: $650 annual fee
United Club℠ Card: $695 annual fee
United℠ Explorer Card: $150 annual fee (waived the first year)
United Quest℠ Card: $350 annual fee
USAA Eagle Navigator™ Visa Signature® Credit Card: $95 annual fee
Unfortunately, there aren't many other ways to get Global Entry for free besides using a qualified credit card. In addition to the cards above, though, there are a handful of cards that will cover part of the cost of Global Entry.
These are typically cards that offer the full cost of TSA PreCheck as a benefit, but will also allow you to apply that benefit toward Global Entry. Some, therefore, will reimburse your Global Entry fee to the tune of $85—the cost of applying for TSA PreCheck. These include the HSBC Premier World MasterCard and Truist's Business Travel Rewards and Enjoy Travel cards. A few cap their Global Entry benefit at $100, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Bank of America Premium Rewards card.
The TSA keeps a full list of PreCheck partner cards on its website, so you can always start there to see if your card of choice offers a PreCheck benefit that could be transferable to Global Entry.