global-entry-vs-nexus

Global Entry versus NEXUS: Which One Is Better?

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Are you tired of having to stand in line at the airport? Well, there are a lot of ways these days to get through security swiftly and avoid the lines. We’ll dissect Global Entry and Nexus, two of those choices, in this piece. We’ll weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each so you can choose which is best for you.

What is Global Entry?

Global admission is a border protection program of the United States that grants low-risk, pre-approved tourists expedited admission upon their return to the country. You will be sent on your way once your passport, fingerprints, and answers to a few questions are scanned. TSA PreCheck will be granted to you in addition to Global Entry approval.

Similar to Global Entry, TSA pre-check enables pre-approved, low-risk visitors to check through security more quickly and easily when they arrive at the airport. You’ll wonder why it took you so long to sign up for the program when you go through the PreCheck lane for the first time. Though this is only half the advantage, security queues are sometimes much shorter.

You can proceed through with just your light jacket, belt, and shoes. As you go through the baggage screeners, your laptop and the liquids in your bag that are permitted for carry-on can remain in place. You have a couple of options if you’re keen to get past security more quickly. The TSA pre-check and Global Entry approvals are valid for five years each. Since reentering the country through customs might take hours, we advise all frequent travelers to obtain Global Entry.

NEXUS: What Is It?

NEXUS is a combined Trusted Traveler and accelerated border control program run by the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, intended for low-risk, pre-approved passengers. It functions much like Global Entry’s Canadian equivalent. By utilizing self-serve kiosks at airports in Canada, the US, and some other sites, as well as dedicated lanes at land crossings into Canada and the US (including from Mexico), members of the program can skip lengthy lines at border entry points.

The application procedure is the same; you must apply via a government portal, wait to be accepted, and then go through an interview to finish the process. Families who travel abroad may find NEXUS to be a viable alternative because, although Global Entry costs $100, the application price is only $50 for adults and free for children up to the age of 18.

Which is Better for You: NEXUS or Global Entry?

To cut down on the amount of time you spend at customs, Global Entry and Nexus are both very beneficial. TSA Precheck is another feature shared by both systems. The advantages and disadvantages of each are outlined here to assist you in choosing wisely.

Benefits of Global Entry

  • There are over fifty airports with Global Entry kiosks.
  • Smooth application procedure and numerous places for the in-person interview to be held.
  • Greater speed and ease of use compared to Nexus, particularly for residents of the southern United States where NEXUS facilities are not accessible.
  • After returning from a foreign trip, there are no queues or wait times in the US.
  • You can get your application cost back once every five years with a lot of travel rewards credit cards.

Drawbacks of Global Entry

More costly than Nexus because it costs $100 for five years and isn’t refundable—not even if your application is rejected. If you are traveling with children under the age of 18, each of them must have their program membership for you to go through expedited screening. Children do not receive a $100 application fee waiver.

Advantages of the Nexus

  • The alternative is that is less costly than Global Entry. $50 spread over five years.
  • Fantastic for families because the application price is waived for those under the age of 18.
  • processed more quickly by air and by car over the US and Canadian borders.
  • can enter the United States using Global Entry kiosks.

Drawbacks with Nexus

Interviews for NEXUS must take place in an area where both CBP and CBSA officials are present. This mostly restricts your options to offices at land border crossings between the US and Canada or at Canadian airports with US preclearance facilities.

Doing NEXUS interviews is only possible at a select few US enrolment centers. They are all situated in the US and Canada’s northern regions. There is often no NEXUS reimbursement credit available with travel rewards credit cards. Still, a few cards that you may get from Chase will pay your cost. These are listed in the following order:

Our Analysis

A few things need to be taken into account when deciding between NEXUS and Global Entry. If you travel by land and/or air between the US and Canada regularly, NEXUS is probably a better option. It is less expensive and, unlike Global admission, enables expedited admission while traveling between borders in a car. Additionally, choosing NEXUS can save you some money because it only costs $50 and is free for youngsters. especially if you regularly drive across the Canadian border while living nearby.

However, the NEXUS program will become far less valuable if you go outside of Canada frequently. Finding an enrollment center to do your in-person interview would be difficult if you live in the southern half of the country because they are only found in the northern US. It will be more difficult to obtain, but once you have it, you can use it at any Global Entry kiosk when entering the United States.

The main thing that bothers us is that none of our preferred travel rewards credit cards, which provide free TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, give a credit for NEXUS. Thus, even though Global Entry is twice as expensive as NEXUS at $100, the credits from these cards allow the service to be free. For US citizens who travel outside of the US and Canada, Global Entry is perhaps a preferable choice just for this reason.

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