How I Renewed My Global Entry Membership in Less than 48 Hours

The last thing anyone wants after a long international flight is to stand in a never-ending customs line. Forget the extras — lounge access, free checked bags, all of it. If I could keep only one travel perk for life, without question, it would be my Global Entry membership.

It’s so life-changing that recently, after a 14-hour flight, I breezed through customs within seconds. But here’s the kicker: I didn’t even realize I had left my passport on the plane until I was already at baggage claim. (Thankfully, some incredibly helpful airline staff returned it to me within minutes.)

That’s how easy Global Entry makes it to reenter the U.S. I just renewed it for the first time. Here’s what you should know if you’re renewing your Global Entry membership online to ensure this process is seamless.

What To Know About a Global Entry Membership

Global Entry is a 5-year membership that provides expedited customs clearance for “pre-approved, low-risk travelers” when reentering the U.S. The program, overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), requires applicants to undergo a rigorous background check and meet strict eligibility requirements to verify their low-risk traveler status. For example, any felonies will disqualify you.

It’s especially beneficial for international travelers, allowing them to bypass traditional customs lines. Instead, Global Entry members use dedicated lanes and automated kiosks that already have their information on file, streamlining the process and getting them quickly on their way to baggage claim.

A Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck, another 5-year trusted traveler program issued by the CBP. Travelers can access dedicated TSA PreCheck security checkpoints at airports, which are often much faster than regular lanes.

Even if you only travel internationally once or twice a year, Global Entry is often the better choice for several reasons. Many premium credit cards cover the application fee for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, with credits typically up to $120 for Global Entry and up to $85 for TSA PreCheck. Although the Global Entry application process is more involved and includes an in-person interview, it offers the dual benefit of faster U.S. customs processing and access to expedited airport security lines.

In general, U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents are allowed to apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. However, citizens of select countries, such as the U.K. or South Korea, can also apply for a Global Entry membership.

What’s a Known Traveler Number (KTN)?

Once you’re conditionally approved, schedule and attend your interview. You’ll typically receive a status update within a few days, though sometimes, even immediately. If approved, you’ll get an email with your Known Traveler Number (KTN), which you’ll always want to keep handy.

When booking any domestic or international flight, be sure to enter your KTN when prompted. If you forget, you can usually add it after booking, or ask an airline agent at the check-in counter to manually add it to your boarding pass on the day of your flight.

How To Renew Global Entry

A Global Entry membership starts on the date you’re approved and expires on your birthday 5 years later. However, you can apply to renew your membership online 1 year before the official expiration date. It’s a good idea to get this done early.

If you forget (like I did), you’ll receive an email notification from the CBP roughly 3 months before it expires.

If you renew before your membership expires, you’ll get a 2-year grace period to continue using your Global Entry benefits while your renewal is being processed. However, you’ll have to complete a brand-new application if you forget to renew after the expiration date.

If you’re eligible to renew, you can do so by logging into your Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) dashboard and navigating to the Program Memberships section. The renewal application will prompt you to update any changes to your employment and address history and list all the countries you’ve visited in the past five years.

Note that you might be asked to schedule another interview — either in person or virtually — but in my case, I wasn’t required to do one.

My 2025 Global Entry Renewal Experience

I’ve switched jobs, moved, and done quite a bit of international travel over the past 5 years, so it took me a solid 30 minutes to gather everything the renewal application asked for. After updating my info, I was prompted to pay the $120 application fee.

When I first applied back in 2020, I used my Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, but I’ve since closed that account. Luckily, I still have a few credit cards that offer a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement every 5 years or so. Even better, these credits typically apply no matter who the application is for — so you can use them to pay for someone else’s fee, not just your own as the primary cardholder.

I’ve gifted Global Entry to a few loved ones over the years, so I had to quickly take inventory to see which cards still had the credit available. I’d recently added my boyfriend as an authorized user on The Platinum Card^® from American Express for $195 (rates & fees), mainly so he could enjoy lounge access.

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel^® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel^®.
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• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
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• $695 annual fee.
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Another perk? He also gets a Global Entry credit, even as an authorized user — and since I had paid for his membership with a different card, his credit was still unused.

Knowing this, I used his card to pay for my renewal. The $120 fee was wiped from my statement in just 2 days.

How Long Does Global Entry Renewal Take?

In my experience, the renewal process didn’t take long at all. Here’s an overview of my timeline:

• June 10, 2025: Received a CBP email that my Global Entry membership was expiring soon
• June 16, 2025: Applied for renewal and paid with the Amex Platinum card
• June 18, 2025: Received a CBP email that my TTP status changed and got approved, which happened to be the same day that I got reimbursed for the application fee on the Amex Platinum card

You’ll also receive a new Global Entry card in the mail after you’re approved, which you’ll have to activate on the TTP Dashboard. However, you’ll keep the same KTN.

I’m glad to have my Global Entry benefits locked in through 2030. I’ll set a reminder to renew in 2029 — fingers crossed I can skip the interview next time, too!

Final Thoughts

Global Entry is a must-have for frequent travelers, especially if you travel internationally. This was my first time renewing, and the process was smooth overall. The biggest potential hurdle is being asked to schedule another interview, if prompted. In my case, I was approved within 48 hours, which was a lot faster than I expected.