Photo: Jaromir Chalabala</Shutterstock

This Is the Fastest Way to Get Approved for Global Entry

Airports + Flying
by Olivia Harden Sep 30, 2022

If you’ve been looking into getting TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and decided to go with the latter, you probably already know that the legwork is a little more involved. Global Entry enrollment can be done at a limited list of cities with international airports and the Homeland Security site states that getting an appointment at one of these centers can take up to 18 months. To expedite the process, your best bet is to do enrollment on arrival. Melissa, a finance influencer known as @Millennialindebt, posted a TikTok about how she was able to get approved for Global Entry in only 10 days.

@millennialindebt All about convenience ! Here’s how I got global entry in 10 days #globalentry #traveltiktok #travel #traveling ♬ Munch (Feelin’ U) – Ice Spice

By applying and getting approved for conditional approval shortly before an international flight, she was able to utilize the travel she was already doing to get to her interview appointment.

There are 14 airports internationally that offer Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival, along with 51 domestic airports.

International airports with Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival

  • Aruba Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
  • L.F. Wade International Airport (XKF)
  • Calgary International Airport (YYC)
  • Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
  • Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
  • Montréal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
  • Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW)
  • Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)
  • Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
  • Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
  • Dublin International Airport (IDW)
  • Shannon International Airport (INN)
  • Lynden Pindling Nassau International Airport (NAS)
  • Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)

Domestic airports with Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival

  • Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
  • Fairbanks International Airport (FAI)
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
  • Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  • Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
  • Oakland International Airport (OAK)
  • Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
  • San Diego International Airport (SAN)
  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  • Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)
  • John Wayne Airport – Orange County (SNA)
  • Denver International Airport (DIA)
  • Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
  • Miami International Airport (MIA)
  • Orlando International Airport (MCO)
  • Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)
  • Tampa International Airport (TPA)
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
  • Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
  • Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
  • Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
  • Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
  • Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
  • Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)
  • Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
  • Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
  • Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
  • Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
  • St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
  • Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
  • McCarran International Airport (LAS)
  • Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)
  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
  • Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
  • John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
  • Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLT)
  • Portland International Airport (PDX)
  • Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
  • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
  • Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
  • San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
  • William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
  • Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
  • Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
  • General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee (MKE)
  • Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)
  • Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

To be eligible for this program, you must have conditional approval from Global Entry and be returning from an international flight. Otherwise, you’ll have to make an appointment like everyone else. You’ll need to bring your passport and proof of residency to the interview. To receive conditional approval, you can complete the Global Entry application online on the Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) portal. Keep in mind the background check can take up to 90 days, meaning your conditional approval might not process in time for your trip.

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