This Credit Card Covers TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry for Your Entire Family

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KEY POINTS

  • The Platinum Card® from American Express will give you a statement credit when you charge TSA PreCheck and Global Entry application fees to your card. (Terms apply; enrollment may be required.)
  • It will also give you a statement credit when authorized users charge application fees to their cards. (Terms apply; enrollment may be required.)
  • The Platinum Card® from American Express has an annual fee of $695, but the included perks can more than pay for the cost. (See rates and fees.)

When Disney invented the FastPass in 1999, it likely didn't expect the U.S. federal government would steal the idea for airport security. But thank goodness it did. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, the only two government-issued "fast passes" for airports, allow "low risk" travelers to bypass long security lines, catch flights faster, and reenter the country with expedited clearance.

But they're not free. You'll pay $85 for a five-year TSA PreCheck membership or $120 for a Global Entry membership (which includes TSA PreCheck). That means, for a family of four, you'll pay $340 for TSA PreCheck alone, or $480 for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry.

Fortunately, there's one travel credit card that will cover the cost of a TSA PreCheck and Global Entry for you and your family: The Platinum Card® from American Express. The card has a hefty annual fee that only a luxurious travel card can sport -- $695 (see rates and fees)-- but for the right spender, it can more than double that cost in annual earnings and benefits.

How to get free TSA PreCheck and Global Entry

To get both free TSA PreCheck and Global Entry ($120), you just have to charge the application fee to The Platinum Card® from American Express. American Express will then refund the fees as a statement credit to your account. (Terms apply.)

Next, you can get free memberships for family members above the age of 13 by adding them as authorized users on The Platinum Card® from American Express. Each member will receive their own version of The Platinum Card® from American Express, and they can use it to cover the application fees on TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. American Express will refund the fees on your account. (Terms apply.)

But there is a caveat here: You'll pay $175 to add three authorized users on your account, plus an extra $175 for each additional person. That can be worth it, however, if you have three family members who could benefit from the services.

You said this card could pay for itself -- explain

The card comes with a high annual fee of $695. Assuming you also add three authorized users, you're looking at $870 -- for a credit card.

But let's assume you get TSA PreCheck and Global Entry for four people. This saves you $480 out the door, which brings the true cost of your annual fee down to $295. That's slightly higher than the annual fee on other travel cards, but we're not done yet.

The Platinum Card® from American Express also comes with a hefty welcome bonus. American Express will give you 80,000 when you spend $8,000 within the first 6 months. These points are worth $0.01 apiece if you use them to purchase flights through American Express. (Terms apply; enrollment may be required.)

Factoring in the welcome bonus means this travel card is no longer costing you, assuming you redeem your points for a flight. The card also comes with $200 in Uber credits and a free bump to Uber VIP status. (Terms apply; enrollment required.) American Express will also give you a $200 statement credit when you charge airline-related expenses, such as luggage or in-flight food, to The Platinum Card® from American Express. (Terms apply.) That's another $400.

That's in addition to whatever you earn on its rewards program: 5 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked through American Express (up to $500,000 spent), plus 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. (Terms apply; enrollment may be required.)

So, the card's a hefty earner. But is it right for you?

I'll be honest: This card isn't for everyone. If you're not a frequent traveler, or your monthly expenses are low, you might be better off with other credit cards, such as those in these categories:

For those frequent travelers with high monthly expenses, you might find no better earner than The Platinum Card® from American Express. The annual fee is steep, but it brings with it some eye-watering perks (we didn't even get into the travel insurance). If you're interested, take a closer look at The Platinum Card® from American Express's rewards program and features and see if it fits your lifestyle.

Our Research Expert