Best credit cards for Global Entry reimbursement

Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to expedite the customs and immigration process upon arrival in the United States. This benefit can save a lot of time after a long trip home.

Signing up for Global Entry also gets you TSA PreCheck membership, which allows you to use expedited security lines at U.S. airports. While these memberships aren’t free, many popular travel credit cards include a statement credit towards application fees in either program. Once approved for a credit card with this perk, you can use the card to pay for either membership the issuer will reimburse you automatically. Here are some of our top choices for credit cards for Global Entry reimbursement.

Comparing the best credit cards for Global Entry reimbursement

Some of the top travel credit cards include a $100 statement credit to cover the application costs for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership once every four years. Here is a comparison of our top choices:

Top credit cards for Global Entry reimbursement

Best for luxury travel

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

5

• Bankrate’s view

  The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the top premium card for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards. You’ll get some of the best available benefits to travel in style, such as lounge access, excellent trip protections, and a $300 annual travel credit covering a wide range of travel purchases.

  You can also pool points from other Chase cards within the Chase trifecta to increase the value of your earned points. With generous reward rates on travel purchases, this card is ideal if you frequently make major travel expenses.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • This card offers top-of-the-line travel protections and benefits.
  • Points are worth 50 percent more when you book through the Chase Travel™ portal.

  

  Cons

  • The welcome offer isn’t any higher than Chase’s mid-tier options, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred®.
  • Other less expensive Chase cards match all of its bonus reward categories.

Best for a low annual fee

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5

4.9

• Bankrate’s view

  The Capital One Venture Rewards card is a well-rounded choice if you want big value from a low-cost mid-tier card. It has a competitive welcome offer, solid flat-rate earnings, and decent benefits to cover yourself while traveling.

  You can combine miles from other Capital One cards to boost your balance while earning substantial rewards from the Capital One Travel portal, which is rare for a low-annual-fee card. Having access to transfer partners gives you extra flexibility when redeeming your miles, making this an excellent choice if you want the simplicity of one card with a low fee.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • The flat-rate rewards rate makes this a simple choice if you just want one card.
  • The card has excellent benefits and redemption options compared to other cards at its price point.

  

  Cons

  • You’ll get the best value from your miles if you use transfer partners, which can limit its overall value.
  • Other cards offer additional bonus categories to boost earnings.

Best for cardmember benefits

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5

4.8

• Bankrate’s view

  While you won’t want the Amex Platinum for its reward rates, the benefits provided exceed every other card on the market. Even though the annual fee is high, you can easily offset the fee by using the card’s many perks. You’ll have solid lounge access, credits across travel, shopping, and lifestyle expenses, and elite status with numerous hotel and car rental programs.

  You’ll also earn valuable Membership Rewards with excellent redemption flexibility, including an extensive list of transfer partners and booking through Amex Travel.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • The laundry list of benefits and credits provides exceptional added value.
  • This card has the most comprehensive selection for airline lounge access.

  

  Cons

  • The card has one of the highest annual fees on the market.
  • Reward rates don’t measure up to other cards outside the travel category.

Best airline co-branded card

United℠ Explorer Card

Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5

3.9

• Bankrate’s view

  The United card is the prime choice if you’re looking for a co-branded airline card with solid benefits and Global Entry. It offers solid value if you’re a frequent United traveler thanks to perks like free first-checked baggage and United Club passes.

  The card’s combination of a welcome offer with the waived annual fee in the first year grants an exceptional initial value. You can also use United MileagePlus miles to book flights with United or any of its Star Alliance partners on their site. While United award bookings can be complicated, the potential for outsized value the effort worth it.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • The annual fee is waived in the first year, which lets you try the card out before deciding if you want it long-term.
  • The welcome offer provides a solid boost to the initial value of this card.

  

  Cons

  • Your redemption options are limited to flights booked with United.
  • You can earn better rewards across the board with other reward cards.

Best hotel co-branded card

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5

4.7

• Bankrate’s view

  The IHG One Rewards Premier card is the only hotel co-branded card with Global Entry. Frequent IHG guests can get exceptional value from this card, earning 26X points on stays. The card also grants a fourth night free on award stays and offers solid bonus categories.

  Other valuable perks include a free night certificate and a semi-annual United TravelBank credit. And if you spend $20,000 annually, you’ll get a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points, which more than offsets the annual fee.

• Pros & cons

  

  Pros

  • You’ll get automatic Platinum Elite status, providing boosted earning rates on eligible IHG stays and additional on-property benefits.
  • You can top off free night certificate awards to cover stays of more than 40,000 points.

  

  Cons

  • IHG points are less valuable than many other hotel points.
  • Card redemption options are limited to stays at IHG hotels.

How to choose the best credit cards for Global Entry reimbursement

While Global Entry reimbursement is a valuable perk, it shouldn’t be the primary driver of your card choice. Make sure to compare the following card features to determine what card gives you the most value.

• Bonus categories: Compare the bonus categories offered with each card and whether they fit your everyday spending needs.
• Perks and benefits: A card’s perks and benefits can provide hundreds of dollars in value, provided you use them regularly.
• Welcome offers: Most of these cards provide excellent upfront value with their welcome offers. Make sure you can comfortably reach the spend requirements on a card’s welcome offer if it’s a deciding factor.
• Annual fee: Decide whether any credits or perks offer enough value to offset the annual fee. With solid card options at different fee levels, you shouldn’t feel pressured to apply for an expensive travel card if there’s a lower-cost card that better meets your needs.
• Reward redemptions: Examine the reward program of each card to see what redemption option gives you the most value. Things to consider are transfer partners, points and miles valuations, whether you can pool points with other cards or members, and other ways to use your points.

How to get a Global Entry fee waived with a credit card

There are a few steps involved in applying for Global Entry and the process may take up to a year to complete in some cases. Here is a typical timeline of the process and how to get your Global Entry fee waived.

Create a Trusted Traveler Programs account

Once you have a credit card that offers a Global Entry credit, you need to create a Trusted Travel Programs (TTP) account. When applying you’ll need to provide your full name and address, Social Security number, employment information and any information listed on your passport.

Pay the Global Entry fee with your credit card

Once you fill out your Trusted Travelers Programs account application, you’ll need to pay the fee to apply. To have the Global Entry fee reimbursed by your credit card, you must use the credit card that offers this perk to pay (no need to activate). Once you pay the $100 fee for Global Entry and submit your application, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will look over your application.

Set up an interview and get approved

If your application is conditionally approved, you must schedule an in-person interview if you’re new to the program. You can only complete your interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center, and these locations are not available in every major city. You can search for the closest enrollment center and set up your appointment.

Some paid services can monitor appointment availability by date or city. You can also opt for Enrollment on Arrival. This allows applicants who are conditionally approved to complete the interview process when arriving back in the United States from abroad at select domestic and international locations.

Watch for the fee credit

Whether approved for Global Entry or not, your credit card issuer will automatically apply your Global Entry fee credit to your account, usually within two billing cycles. You can use this benefit once every four years. Since Global Entry membership lasts for five years, you can use the credit from a single card to renew your membership every time. For additional friends or family members, you’ll need a card with the Global Entry benefit to cover each person.

Frequently asked questions

• How does Global Entry work?

  Global Entry is a government-backed program that allows you to submit your information and qualify for expedited security access when you arrive at U.S. airports after traveling overseas. This program lets you skip the regular customs and immigration lines and move through separate Global Entry lines with other Global Entry members, saving significant time upon your arrival in the United States.

• How much does Global Entry cost?

  Global Entry membership costs $100, compared to $85 for TSA PreCheck membership. Both memberships last for five years. However, Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck membership, so you can get a membership with both programs for one fee.

• How long does the Global Entry approval process take?

  Global Entry applications can take up to a year to approve. However, most membership approvals happen on a much faster timeline. If you’ve already applied, you can log in to your Trusted Travelers Programs account to check the status anytime.

What’s next?

Check out the resources below to find a card that matches your travel needs and to help budget for your next trip.

The bottom line

Signing up for Global Entry can save you valuable time and hassle when you return to the United States after traveling overseas. Many travel credit cards offer a statement credit towards application fees for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, making it smart to use a credit card with this perk to pay for the membership. But because many cards offer this benefit, you’ll want to consider all the features provided to determine the best option.

*The information about the United℠ Explorer Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.