On this most recent trip to the Dominican Republic, my husband and I decided to try out some VIP airport services. We already enjoy using airport lounges and are Global Entry and TSA PreCheck holders, so we wanted to see what other time-saving (and stress-avoiding) services were out there! In this post, I’ll talk a little bit about all of those services and then why they might be right for you!
TSA PreCheck
TSA PreCheck is an expedited security line. You submit to a background check and a short in-person interview and pay a one-time fee, and then enjoy this streamlined security process for 5 years. There is no removing your shoes or pulling things from your bag, and most of the time a pass through a metal detector is all that is needed. We signed up for this program almost immediately after it started, and have gone through “regular” TSA checks a few times where TSA PreCheck was unavailable since. Those “regular” screenings convince us all over again how great TSA PreCheck is!
Many travel credit cards come with a credit to enroll in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, so it’s worth checking the list to see if you can get this benefit for free with a card you already have!
Clear
Clear is a third-party company that uses biometric data to verify its customers on behalf of TSA. The service can be used with or without TSA PreCheck. We tried this service and found the time savings to be negligible, and certainly not worth the steep membership price. However, some premium credit cards do come with an annual credit to pay for the membership, so if you have that benefit, there’s no reason not to sign up.
VIP Departure Services
These services are often offered to those with business or first class tickets, but the services can be bought separately in some places. We tried this at Punta Cana, but there are many airports that offer these services. We entered a separate security and passport control line that was completely separate from the main line. There was no wait at all, while the main security and passport control line was about an hour long.
Airport Lounges
While the food and atmosphere is usually nothing too special, we love our airport lounges! It’s a chance to sit in a slightly nicer seat, in a quieter space, with food and beverages included instead of at airport prices. The bathrooms are usually cleaner, as well. Even when a lounge is very crowded, it’s significantly better than the terminal seating, and helps me stay calm on a layover or before a flight.
Some lounges are actually really impressive, though! We loved the Capital One Lounge in Denver, which was beautiful, had lots of different seating/room options, and even had snacks and drinks to take away on the way out. The VIP Lounge in terminal B of Punta Cana airport had a rooftop pool overlooking the taxiway! Wow!
We usually access these lounges with benefits from a credit card, but there are often ways to pay to get into a lounge instead. It’s definitely worth looking at your credit card benefits to see if you’re eligible to enter a lounge for free, even if it’s just a few visits a year.
VIP arrivals services
We tried this in Punta Cana, but there are lots of airports that offer this. Basically, you are met by a representative at your gate, who escorts you to a small lounge while they deal with passport control (or helps you with passport control), gets your bags from the baggage claim, escorts you through customs, and gets you to your ground transportation. While the rest of our flight was waiting in line for passport control, we were already in our transport and on our way to the resort!
Global Entry
Global Entry is an expedited passport control program upon re-entering the United States. This allows you to avoid really long lines in passport control and walk right up to the Global Entry kiosks. After verifying your photo, you skip the line to see a Customs and Border Patrol agent, and you’re on your way. Our most recent experience in Orlando was even better; we used the Global Entry app to skip the kiosk and had no waits whatsoever. In fact, we were through so quickly, we were able to hop on an earlier flight back to Chicago. The regular CBP lines were very long and I’m sure would have taken at least 30 minutes. The great thing about Global Entry is that it includes TSA PreCheck, so it’s well worth the hassle of setting up an appointment at the airport to interview for Global Entry.
A side note: some airports allow you to interview for Global Entry upon arrival from an international flight. Our son recently did that coming back from Canada and it was a breeze!
Are VIP Services Worth it?
Obviously, whether these services are right for you depends on a lot of factors. We are depending more and more on services like these due to travel anxiety; we can travel more if our stress level is lower. Others may find that they cannot stand in long lines due to health issues, so some of these skip-the-lines options are good for them. Or perhaps travelers know they’ll buy food and a few alcoholic beverages in the airport, so a lounge membership or premium credit card makes sense.
Ready to plan your VIP trip? Let me help take the stress out of travel and make your bucket list a reality! Schedule a 15-minute call and let’s start planning!