(InvestigateTV) — Flying can be stressful but programs like Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck, CLEAR, and Global Entry promise to make the airport experience smoother. Still, new rule changes have some passengers questioning whether these services are still worth the price.
LendingTree surveyed travelers and found one out of every four people pay for TSA Precheck or CLEAR and 89 percent of those who use it say i…
Matt Schultz with LendingTree said the survey also found that a lot of people get frustrated if they are traveling with people who don’t use it.
Schultz said no longer having to remove shoes in the regular security line – a rule rolled out in July of this year – does take away a perk from Precheck, but there are still other notable values to the service.
“It still does help you with other things, like you don’t have to take your laptop or liquids out of a bag when you go through TSA PreCheck,” he said. “You might be able to leave that light jacket on, that sort of thing. But ultimately when you’re talking about whether it’s worth it or not a lot of it comes down to how much you travel.”
Schultz said it’s not one size fits all. For those who travel once a year, it’s probably not worth the extra money. But for those who travel often for business, it is probably worth it.
Here are the cost breakdowns:
TSA PreCheck: starts at $76.75 for new enrollees for 5 years.
Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI: cost $120 each for 5 years
CLEAR: $199 per year.
Schultz said there are some credit cards that even offer a credit for the cost of signing up for TSA PreCheck, so be sure to check for these benefits before signing up.