TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and the Mobile Passport App
Published October 2026 · Last verified October 2026
The long line at airport security is the part of travel most people dread. There are a handful of programs that let you skip to a shorter, calmer line, and once you are signed up, the benefit lasts for years. This guide walks you through what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, and how to use it at the airport without any stress.
The long line at airport security is the part of travel most people dread. There are a handful of programs that let you skip to a shorter, calmer line, and once you are signed up, the benefit lasts for years. This guide walks you through what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, and how to use it at the airport without any stress.
What's inside this guide
The printable PDF walks through 45 short chapters, in plain language. It also includes an everyday cheat sheet and at-a-glance pictures.
- The Whole Idea in One Glance
- Why These Programs Are Worth Knowing About
- What TSA PreCheck Actually Is
- What Global Entry Does That PreCheck Does Not
- What Each One Costs, in Plain Ranges
- Signing Up Only on the Real Government Sites
- How to Sign Up for TSA PreCheck
- How to Sign Up for Global Entry
- Your Known Traveler Number and Why It Matters
- Where to Find Your Number if You Have Global Entry
- Putting Your Number Into an Airline Booking
- What Mobile Passport Control Is
- Who the Mobile Passport App Is For
- Using the Mobile Passport App When You Land
- Where the Mobile Passport App Works
- What CLEAR Is and How It Differs
- How These Programs Fit Together
- Which One Suits Your Kind of Travel
- What the Background Check Involves
- PreCheck and Global Entry for Children
- Renewing Your Membership Before It Lapses
- Keeping Your Details Up to Date
- What the PreCheck Lane Feels Like
- What the Global Entry Kiosk Is Like
- When PreCheck Is Missing From Your Boarding Pass
- A Word on NEXUS and SENTRI
- What You Need on Your Phone
- A Safe, Simple Way to Store Your Numbers
- Making the In-Person Appointment Smooth
- Thinking About the Cost the Smart Way
- The Mix-Ups That Trip People Up
- Signing Up as a Couple
- Letting a Credit Card Pay the Fee
- Is It Worth It if You Barely Fly?
- Global Entry in Your Phone Wallet
- When the Website Will Not Cooperate
- What These Programs Can and Cannot Do
- A Calm Routine Before Every Trip
- Helping a Less Techy Travel Partner
- Your Simple Sign-Up Checklist
- Getting a Whole Family Through Together
- Finishing Global Entry When You Land
- Spotting the Fakes Around These Programs
- Picturing a Trip From Start to Finish
- When It Is Worth Calling Me
Get the printable guide
Everything above is a quick summary. The full, printable guide — the same words, laid out to read and keep by the computer — is a free PDF.
Last verified October 2026. Information accurate as of October 25, 2026.
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