NEXUS vs SENTRI vs Global Entry: Which Trusted Traveler Program Should You Get?

If you cross the US border on the regular — whether by car at Blaine or San Ysidro, or by plane through SFO — a Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) can turn a 90-minute wait into a 10-minute wait. There are three programs to choose from, and the right one depends entirely on where and how you cross. This guide walks through the differences so you can pick the one worth your $50–$120.

Verify before you apply. Fees and processing times below are accurate as of early 2026, but US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) updates them periodically. The authoritative source for current numbers is ttp.cbp.dhs.gov.

The 30-second answer

All three programs pre-vet you so you can use dedicated, faster lanes at the border. They also all include TSA PreCheck at US airports as a bundled benefit, which alone is worth the price for most frequent travelers.

What is Global Entry?

Global Entry is for travelers entering the United States by air. Members skip the regular passport-control line and use a Global Entry kiosk (or, increasingly, a touchless face-scan lane) to clear customs and immigration. Total time through CBP is typically under five minutes versus 20–60 minutes in the regular line at a busy international airport.

• Cost: $120 for 5 years.
• Includes: TSA PreCheck (no separate $85 application).
• Best for: Anyone who flies internationally more than ~once every two years.
• Lane access: Global Entry kiosks at most major US airports of entry, plus pre-clearance facilities at major Canadian airports.

What is NEXUS?

NEXUS is the joint US/Canada program for travelers crossing between the two countries by car, foot, or boat. Membership gives you access to dedicated NEXUS-only lanes at land border crossings — these are usually empty or have a handful of cars while the regular lanes back up for hours. NEXUS also gets you Global Entry-equivalent treatment at air ports of entry and includes TSA PreCheck.

• Cost: $120 for 5 years (recently raised from $50 — the same as Global Entry now).
• Includes: Global Entry benefits + TSA PreCheck.
• Best for: Anyone who drives between the US and Canada more than 2–3 times a year, especially at busy crossings like Blaine Peace Arch, Detroit Ambassador Bridge, or Buffalo Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge.
• Lane access: NEXUS lanes at all major US/Canada land crossings, plus all Global Entry benefits at airports.
• Citizenship requirements: You must be a US or Canadian citizen, or a lawful permanent resident of either country, to apply.

Because NEXUS bundles Global Entry, anyone who goes to Canada even occasionally is better off getting NEXUS than plain Global Entry — same price, more benefits.

What is SENTRI?

SENTRI (Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection) is for travelers entering the US from Mexico by car. Members use dedicated SENTRI lanes at southwest land crossings, which dramatically cut the wait at the busiest ports — at San Ysidro the difference can be 2+ hours versus 5–15 minutes. SENTRI also includes Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.

• Cost: $120 for 5 years (also recently raised; same as Global Entry).
• Includes: Global Entry + TSA PreCheck.
• Best for: Anyone driving between the US and Mexico semi-regularly, especially through San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, or El Paso.
• Lane access: SENTRI lanes at southern US land crossings + everything in Global Entry.
• Vehicle requirement: The vehicle you cross in must also be SENTRI-approved (a one-time process; up to four vehicles per member).

Side-by-side comparison

The application process

All three programs use the same application portal at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. The flow is roughly:

1. Create a Trusted Traveler account. Use the Login.gov option — it's less buggy than the legacy direct login.
2. Submit an application with biographical info, address history (five years), employment history (five years), travel history (five years), and any arrest/citation history. Pay the $120 non-refundable fee.
3. Wait for "conditional approval" after CBP runs a background check. Processing time has varied wildly — anywhere from 2 weeks to 18 months. As of early 2026 it's running ~6–9 months for new applicants for most programs.
4. Schedule an interview. Once conditionally approved, you book an in-person interview at an enrollment center. NEXUS interviews are joint US/Canada and happen at a NEXUS enrollment center (typically near the border); Global Entry and SENTRI interviews are at US-side enrollment centers.
5. Show up with documents. Passport, proof of residence (utility bill works), and for NEXUS specifically, a second piece of government-issued ID. The interview itself is about 20 minutes of questions plus a photo and fingerprints.
6. Card and approval arrive within 1–4 weeks of the interview. You're "in" the system the moment the interview ends, though — you don't need to wait for the physical card to use Global Entry kiosks at airports.

Tip: Skip the interview wait with "Enrollment on Arrival"

Conditional approval often comes faster than interview availability. CBP's Enrollment on Arrival (EOA) program lets conditionally-approved Global Entry and NEXUS applicants do the interview portion at the border or airport on their next re-entry into the US, with no appointment. This can shave months off the timeline if you have an upcoming international trip — just walk up to the EOA station after deplaning (most major airports) or pull into the EOA lane (most land crossings).

Common gotchas

• Don't lie on the application. CBP cross-references everything against federal records. The single most common reason for denial is missing a past citation or arrest — even if it was dismissed, expunged, or happened decades ago. Disclose it; CBP will usually approve anyway. Hiding it gets you banned for years.
• NEXUS interviews fill up months in advance at the busiest enrollment centers (especially Blaine, WA and Champlain, NY). If you live near one of those, try booking at a slightly more distant center — interview slots are often available within weeks instead of months.
• You can't downgrade. If you have NEXUS and let it lapse, your next application is treated as a new one (full $120 fee, full waiting period). Renew before expiry — renewals are simpler and the application portal will email you 6 months out.
• SENTRI vehicles are tied to the member. If you sell the car or buy a new one, you must update SENTRI vehicle records before crossing — otherwise you'll be pulled out of the SENTRI lane.
• Hand-held device rules differ by lane. NEXUS and SENTRI lanes typically require occupants to only have NEXUS/SENTRI cards (passport on its own isn't enough). One non-member in the car = no NEXUS lane for the whole vehicle. Plan accordingly when traveling with non-members.

Which should you get?

Cost is the same across all three, so the question is really about which lanes you'll use. My rough rule:

• Live in southern California, Arizona, or southern Texas and cross to Mexico regularly? Get SENTRI. The wait differential at San Ysidro alone justifies the fee inside a single year of semi-regular crossing.
• Live near the Canadian border or cross to Canada more than twice a year? Get NEXUS. It strictly dominates Global Entry — same price, same airport benefits, plus the NEXUS lanes at land crossings.
• Fly internationally and never drive across a border? Get Global Entry.
• Do all three? Get NEXUS for the airport + Canada lanes, then separately apply for SENTRI. Yes, you'll pay twice ($240 total over 5 years). There's no combined program. CBP has hinted at one for years; it hasn't shipped.

Who shouldn't bother

If your only border crossings are rare leisure trips and you don't fly internationally, the math doesn't work out — $120 for 5 years is about $24/year, which beats 2-3 saved hours at the border but isn't free money. For most people in that category, just using the Don't Wait homepage to time your crossing for off-peak hours captures most of the time savings without any application paperwork.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Global Entry / NEXUS / SENTRI for the whole family?

Every traveler in the vehicle (or in the airport lane) needs their own membership. Kids too — Global Entry has no minimum age, NEXUS members under 18 don't pay a fee but still need a separate application. SENTRI under-18s have a reduced fee. One non-member passenger in a car means the whole vehicle uses the regular lane.

Do I really get TSA PreCheck included?

Yes, automatically. Once you're enrolled in any of the three CBP programs, your PASSID (the 9-digit number on your card and in your profile) is your TSA PreCheck Known Traveler Number. Add it to your airline reservations and the PreCheck logo appears on your boarding pass.

Does NEXUS work at land crossings into Mexico?

No — NEXUS only covers the US/Canada border. For US/Mexico crossings, you need SENTRI. The two programs are separate and require separate applications.

What if my NEXUS lane is closed when I arrive?

Use the regular lane and mention your NEXUS status to the officer — they'll often process you faster anyway. Lane closures vary by time of day and staffing; check the live wait times for each crossing on its detail page (e.g. Blaine Peace Arch) to see which lanes are open right now.

How early should I apply before a trip?

Plan on 6–9 months minimum for new applicants in 2026. Renewals are faster (4–8 weeks). Enrollment on Arrival can speed things up significantly if you have a trip planned and conditional approval has already come through.

Bottom line

At $24/year amortized over five years, any of the three programs pays for itself in saved time after a handful of crossings. The choice is just about which lanes you'll use: Global Entry for international flights, NEXUS for the Canadian border (the best all-rounder because it bundles everything), SENTRI for the Mexican border. Apply early, disclose everything, and don't let it lapse.

Want to see how much time NEXUS or SENTRI would actually save you on your usual crossing? Pull up the detail page for it — every crossing on this site shows live wait times for both the standard and trusted-traveler lanes side-by-side, plus historical averages so you can see how much the gap typically widens during peak hours. Start at the homepage and find your crossing.