Benefit explainers
Global Entry and TSA PreCheck Credits: Which Cards Pay Your Application Fee
Global Entry and TSA PreCheck Credits: Which Cards Pay Your Application Fee
Global Entry costs $120 to apply for. TSA PreCheck runs about $77–$85 depending on which enrollment provider you use (IDEMIA, CLEAR, or Telos — each sets its own fee). Several credit cards will reimburse the fee as a statement credit, which means the application is effectively free if you pay with the right card.
The good news: every one of these credits is automatic. No enrollment, no activation. Pay the fee with the card, the credit posts. The bad news: people still pay with the wrong card, because they don't know their card has the benefit.
Which cards pay your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee?
Seven cards reimburse the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee: the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture X, Capital One Venture, Citi Prestige, and Amex Platinum each reimburse up to $120 every 4 years, while the Bank of America Premium Rewards reimburses up to $100 every 4 years. Every one of these credits is automatic — pay the fee with the card and the statement credit posts.
How does the Sapphire Reserve Global Entry credit work?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve reimburses up to $120 every 4 years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS as an automatic statement credit.
How does the Sapphire Preferred Global Entry credit work?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred reimburses up to $120 every 4 years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS — new in the June 2026 refresh, since this used to be a Reserve-only perk. It is the same deal as the Reserve: an automatic statement credit.
How to use it: when your membership comes up for renewal, pay the fee with the Preferred. If you got the card after the refresh and haven't used this yet, check whether your current Global Entry is near expiry — don't renew early just to use the credit, but don't let the credit sit unused past a renewal either.
How does the Capital One Venture X Global Entry credit work?
The Capital One Venture X reimburses up to $120 every 4 years as a statement credit when the fee is charged to the card. It covers Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
How does the Capital One Venture Global Entry credit work?
The Capital One Venture reimburses up to $120 every 4 years — the same as the Venture X. The $95 card carries the same reimbursement as the $395 one.
How does the Bank of America Global Entry credit work?
The Bank of America Premium Rewards reimburses up to $100 every 4 years — not $120. BofA's official figure is $100; some secondary sources say $120, but they're wrong. It posts as an automatic statement credit when the fee is charged to the card.
How to use it: $100 covers TSA PreCheck (about $77–$85 depending on the enrollment provider) in full with room to spare. For Global Entry ($120), you're $20 short — still a good deal, just not a free one.
How does the Citi Prestige Global Entry credit work?
The Citi Prestige reimburses up to $120 every 4 years. On October 1, 2024, Citi raised this from $100 every 5 years to $120 every 4 years — older reviews showing the old $100/5-year terms are stale. (The Prestige is closed to new applicants; this is for existing cardholders.)
How does the Amex Platinum Global Entry credit work?
The Amex Platinum reimburses up to $120 every 4 years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS — a statement credit confirmed in the PerkWatch card benefits catalog.
How much is a Global Entry credit really worth?
A $120 credit every four years is worth $30 a year. Nobody is choosing a card for this benefit alone, and nobody should. But it's $120 you don't have to spend — if you remember to pay with the right card at the right time.
The real value is avoiding the mistake: paying the $120 Global Entry fee with a debit card, then discovering three months later that your credit card would have covered it. That happens constantly.
| Card | Amount | Cycle | Covers $120 Global Entry fully? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapphire Reserve | $120 | 4 years | Yes |
| Sapphire Preferred | $120 | 4 years | Yes |
| Venture X | $120 | 4 years | Yes |
| Venture | $120 | 4 years | Yes |
| BofA Premium Rewards | $100 | 4 years | No — $20 short |
| Citi Prestige | $120 | 4 years | Yes |
| Amex Platinum | $120 | 4 years | Yes |
What are the biggest Global Entry credit traps?
The five biggest traps: the credit only triggers on the card that carries it (pay with the wrong card and you've paid full price), the cycles are long — four years — so you'll forget the benefit exists between uses, BofA's credit is $100 not $120, Citi Prestige moved to a 4-year cycle in October 2024, and renewing early to "use" the credit wastes the remaining years of your current membership.
- Pay with the right card. The credit only triggers on the card that carries it. One wrong payment method and you've paid full price.
- The cycles are long — four years. You will forget this benefit exists between uses. That's normal; that's why it needs tracking.
- BofA is $100, not $120. Don't let a blog post tell you otherwise.
- Citi Prestige moved to a 4-year cycle in October 2024 (was $100/5 years before). Don't follow the old schedule.
- Don't renew early to "use" the credit. If your Global Entry doesn't expire for three years, the credit waits. Forcing a renewal early wastes the remaining years of your current membership.
How PerkWatch fits
A benefit you use once every four or five years is the easiest thing in the world to forget — and the most annoying to remember three months after you paid full price. PerkWatch tracks long-cycle benefits like these alongside your monthly ones, so when your renewal window approaches, you get the reminder before you pay, not after. Free for one card, $2.99/month or $29/year for unlimited.
Benefit details verified October 3, 2026. BofA's figure is $100 per the issuer's own listing (not $120). Citi Prestige moved from $100 every 5 years to $120 every 4 years on October 1, 2024. Confirm current terms with the card issuer before applying — benefits change.
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Sources
- PerkWatch card benefits catalog (verified 2026-09-24)
- dailynewsfront.com