Several popular rewards cards offer statement credits toward application fees for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, Trusted Traveler Programs that expedite airport screening. The statement credits can be worth up to $120 every four years.
If you maximize the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit on one of these cards, you can completely offset the first year's annual fee. Additionally, if you're already enrolled, you can transfer the credit to someone else by charging their application fee to your card.
There are several cards with annual fees under $100 that offer Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefits. These include the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Aeroplan Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, OneKey+ Card, and U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers a welcome offer of 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is $95. The card earns 5 points per dollar spent on all Chase Travel purchases, 3 points per dollar spent on gas and electric vehicle charging, and 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a welcome offer of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is $95. The card earns 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, rental cars, and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
The Aeroplan Credit Card offers a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is $95. The card earns 3 points per dollar spent at grocery stores, on dining, and on purchases made directly with Air Canada.
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers a welcome offer of 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is $99. The card earns up to 26 points per dollar spent when you stay at IHG Hotels and Resorts.
The OneKey+ Card offers a welcome offer of $350 in OneKeyCash after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is $99. The card earns 3% back in OneKeyCash on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.
The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card offers a welcome offer of 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. The annual fee is $0. The card earns 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center.
Each of these cards provides exceptional ongoing value beyond its Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit, making it easy to offset the sub-$100 annual fees.
The most important factor is determining the type of rewards you want to earn and how you would like to redeem them. You'll also want to consider each issuer's unique set of application rules and restrictions.
Even if you already have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, you can use this credit for someone you know by having them use your card to pay for their application fee.
