- Traveling through the airport can be a hassle, especially if you're running late.
- Airports are a breeze if you're able to skip the general security line.
- Here are three options that will make traveling through the airport stress-free.
TSA PreCheck
How to Sign up: You can sign up for TSA PreCheck online from the comfort of your own home. The application takes only a few minutes and asks for general information, including your legal name, address, and country of birth.
The application asks for more specific information like height, height, hair color, and eye color. It also includes eligibility questions related to criminal history. Next, it asks which document you want to use to confirm your identity such as a driver's license or a passport.
Then, it requires you to select a location for your in-person appointment that includes fingerprinting. According to the agency, more than 90% of people who participated in the program waited no more than five minutes.
TSA PreCheck is available in more than 200 airports.
Cost: $78 for 5 years
Advantages: When traveling, there's no need to take off your jacket, shoes or belts. Also, for travelers who often carry electronics, you will not need to remove your laptop.
Insider's lifestyle correspondent Anneta Konstantinides said TSA PreCheck made "traveling an absolute breeze."
CLEAR
How to sign up: You can sign up for CLEAR online or at the airport. The application is quick and easy. When enrolling, they ask for your general information — name, email, and zip code. Once the application is completed, enrollment is completed at a participating airport to get your eyes and fingerprints scanned.
Cost: $189 annually
You can add three family members over 18 years old for an additional $60 each. There are special rates for AmEx cardholders, Delta Skymiles, and United Mileage Plus members.
Advantages: CLEAR expedites the general security process by letting you bypass the first line for document verification altogether with the biometric screening, Insider previously reported.
Insider's Joseph Hostetler described CLEAR as a "useful travel luxury."
Global Entry
How to sign up: To sign up for Global Entry, you can submit an application online. Once, you are "conditionally approved", you have two options: make an interview appointment at one of their enrollment centers or complete it when you land at your destination at an "Enrollment on Arrival location," according to the US Customs and Border Protection website.
Membership for new applicants could take more than 90 days, the agency said.
Cost: $100 for 5 years (it includes TSA PreCheck)
Advantages: You get quicker access through customs after international travel, no paperwork hassle at the airport and is available at more than 70 airports across the US.
Insider contributing writer Jen Goldenberg Doner said Global Entry "has made traveling much quicker and more seamless for me."
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