Travel credit cards are packed with perks that can make your journeys more comfortable and cost-effective. One of the most popular benefits offered by many premium cards is reimbursement for some or all of the application fees for TSA PreCheck, a program that provides expedited security screening for domestic flights, or Global Entry, a program that speeds up customs processing when re-entering the United States from international trips and—bonus—includes TSA PreCheck.
While this benefit is an excellent way to save money and streamline travel, the perk screams redundancy if you have multiple credit cards with the benefit (such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Platinum Card from American Express). Just because you don’t need the credit doesn’t mean it has to go to waste.
“You can give someone else your TSA Precheck or Global Entry credit,” explained Angel Trinh, founder of Pennywise Traveler, a blog that teaches people how to best use their points and miles, adding, “I have done this previously—both for my brother and his girlfriend.”
Here’s what you need to know about using your TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credits for the flying benefit of someone else.
How to use TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credits on someone else
The credit card company typically reimburses the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry as a statement credit when you have a credit card that offers this benefit. Depending on the card, the credit is available once every four or four-and-a-half years. (TSA PreCheck and Global Entry memberships are both good for five years.)
This means you pay the other person’s application fee ($78 for TSA PreCheck; $120 for Global Entry) with your travel credit card exactly like you would pay for your own TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. The issuer then reimburses the amount back to your account, either instantly or after a few days. All the issuer will see is the charge from U.S. Customs and Border Protection—not the name of the individual applying for the program. Even if the issuer did see who the application was for, there’s no requirement that the name on the application must match the name of the credit cardholder.
What to consider before giving TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credits to someone else
While gifting your credits is doable in practice, travelers should consider the practicalities involved.
“If choosing PreCheck, you may need to accompany the person to their interview to physically pay the fee, and that might be more hassle than people initially bargain for,” said Gilbert Ott, director of partnership and PR at point.me, a search engine for awards flights. “Global Entry is certainly easier from the sharing perspective and has much greater benefit, in my opinion. I’ve personally used the Global Entry fee credits from various cards to cover my children and immediate family because I’m able to enjoy the immediate benefit when traveling with them.”
Other issuers explicitly extend these credits to a card’s authorized users. The Platinum Card from American Express, for example, allows the primary cardholder to add up to three people to their account for $195 apiece per year, and each person receives their own trusted traveler credit. Still, some companies do not do this, so always check a card’s terms and conditions.
It’s also worth noting that after Global Entry raised the price from $100 to $120 on October 1, 2024, most credit card companies said they’d still foot the entire cost. Some cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, said they would only cover up to the previous $100 price. So you want might to inform the giftee that someone might have to make up the difference on this gift’s heavily discounted price.
