Three weeks ago, millions of frequent flyers woke up to some genuinely infuriating news: Global Entry — the trusted traveler program that's saved us countless hours in passport control lines — had been quietly shut down. No advance notice, no warning. Just gone. And today, March 11, 2026, it's back. Starting at 5:00 AM ET, DHS reactivated Global Entry at participating airports across the country. If you've been checking every day waiting for this moment, your wait is over.

But here's the thing — the return of Global Entry doesn't mean the airport chaos that built up over the last three weeks has magically disappeared. TSA officers are still working without pay, lines are still longer than normal at some airports, and spring break travel is in full swing. So let's break down exactly what happened, where things stand right now, and what you should actually do if you're flying in the next few weeks.

How much does a Global Entry membership currently cost, and how long does it last?

The answer is near the bottom of today's post... keep scrolling. 👇

Let's rewind. On February 13, 2026, funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed after Congress failed to agree on a spending bill. The dispute centered on immigration enforcement — specifically, Democrats demanding new restrictions on ICE operations after two US citizens were fatally shot in Minneapolis during federal enforcement actions. Republicans blocked those restrictions. Nobody blinked. DHS entered a partial shutdown.

At first, most travel programs kept running. Then on February 22, DHS announced it was suspending Global Entry processing at all participating airports — citing the need to conserve resources and reassign personnel to serve the general traveling public. Then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described it as a necessary reallocation of staff. The travel industry reacted with immediate and intense criticism.

Around the same time, DHS also briefly announced it would suspend TSA PreCheck — but reversed that decision within hours after discussions with the White House. Global Entry was left closed. The US Travel Association called it a serious misstep, pointing out that Global Entry's 13 million members undergo rigorous background checks, and that suspending the program doesn't just create inconvenience — it actually weakens security by diverting screening resources toward people who've already been vetted.

Lawmakers from both sides expressed frustration. Senator Chuck Schumer accused the administration of using "bully tactics" by targeting airport operations. Industry groups representing every major US airline called on Congress to act with urgency. And still, for nearly three weeks, Global Entry stayed dark.

Here's what I think got overlooked in the broader political debate: the timing of this shutdown was spectacularly bad for travelers. DHS funding lapsed in mid-February, meaning TSA officers — who are classified as essential employees and must keep working even when they aren't being paid — were heading into spring break season without paychecks.

As of this week, TSA officers received only a partial paycheck on February 28 and will miss their first full paycheck on March 14. Predictably, an increasing number of screeners started calling in — they have bills to pay like everyone else. That hit some airports hard. Over last weekend (March 8-9), Houston's Hobby Airport saw wait times hit an extraordinary 3.5 hours at their worst, with the airport advising passengers to arrive 4-5 hours before their flight. New Orleans Armstrong Airport reported waits up to 3 hours, with security lines literally spilling out of the terminal and across a parking garage.

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, Charlotte Douglas, and George Bush Intercontinental in Houston were also reporting above-average waits over the weekend. The US Travel Association estimated that if delays kept spreading at that rate, the economic cost could approach $1 billion in disruption costs to the travel sector.

My honest take: I get that government shutdowns are complicated political situations. But using trusted traveler programs as leverage — programs that are funded by user fees, not congressional appropriations — felt particularly unfair to the people who'd already paid for and relied on these services. A frequent flyer who paid $120 for Global Entry and scheduled an international trip around that expectation shouldn't bear the cost of a budget standoff in Washington.

As of 5:00 AM ET on March 11, 2026, Global Entry kiosks are active again at participating airports. If you're arriving on an international flight today or in the coming days, you can use the automated kiosks (or the Global Entry Mobile App) to bypass standard passport control lines just like before.

Crucially, remember that Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck as a benefit — so your fast-lane access for domestic departures was never interrupted (PreCheck stayed open throughout). What was suspended was specifically the international arrivals processing.

One thing worth flagging: Global Entry does not solve the TSA staffing problem on the departures side. TSA officers are still unpaid, and some checkpoints may still experience elevated wait times depending on staffing levels. PreCheck lanes are operational, which means if you have PreCheck (which is included with Global Entry), you should still be in much better shape than general screening lanes. But if you're flying out of one of the harder-hit airports this week, I'd still build in extra time.

One genuinely useful thing you can do right now: check Flight Queue for estimated security and passport control wait times at your airport. It uses live TSA data for US airports including JFK, ATL, IAH, and more — handy for knowing before you leave for the airport whether you need to rush or can take your time.

If the last few weeks convinced you that you need Global Entry in your life, here's the quick rundown. The program is run by US Customs and Border Protection and costs $120 for five years — that's $24 a year for the ability to skip passport control lines at major international airports. You apply online, pass a background check, and attend an in-person interview at a CBP enrollment center. Most applications are reviewed within two weeks, though some can take longer depending on your background.

The best part? Most premium credit cards reimburse the Global Entry fee as a statement credit. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, and Amex Business Platinum all include a $100+ travel credit that covers Global Entry. This makes it effectively free if you're already holding one of these cards — and as a bonus, Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck access automatically, which would otherwise cost $85 separately.

If you don't have a card that covers this yet, both the Chase Sapphire cards and Amex personal cards include Global Entry credits as a standard benefit.

Here's my practical guidance for anyone flying in the next week or two, with the shutdown still ongoing and TSA staffing still unpredictable:

If you have PreCheck or Global Entry, you're in much better shape than most. PreCheck lanes have been consistently faster — Hobby Airport was reporting 3-minute PreCheck waits versus 90-minute standard waits at the same time last Tuesday. Use it. If you're arriving internationally, Global Entry kiosks are active again as of this morning.

If you don't have PreCheck or Global Entry, the advice from airports like Hobby and New Orleans is unambiguous: arrive 3-4 hours before your flight right now. That might feel excessive, but the consequences of missing a flight are far worse than sitting in the terminal with a coffee for an extra hour.

Also worth noting: if you're flying internationally and typically use Award Travel Finder to search for award flight availability, be aware that international arrival processing was impacted during the suspension period. Routes haven't changed, but the experience of returning home was considerably more painful for Global Entry members who arrived during this window.

This isn't the first time TSA and trusted traveler programs have been caught in the crossfire of a budget standoff. The 2018-2019 shutdown — the longest in US history at 35 days — saw TSA callout rates spike, leading to checkpoint closures and long lines on the East Coast. That one ended, in part, because air traffic controllers called in sick at such high rates that LaGuardia Airport experienced flight delays.

TSA officers worked through all of that without pay. They're doing the same again now, and some are on their third shutdown in 15 months, according to union officials. A bipartisan group of 16 House members introduced legislation in January that would guarantee federal workers get paid during future shutdowns — but that bill hasn't advanced.

One thing worth knowing as a traveler: both Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are funded primarily by user fees, not congressional appropriations. The decision to suspend Global Entry — framed as a resource-conservation measure — was a policy choice, not a financial necessity. That's why critics on both sides of the aisle questioned it, and why it was ultimately reversed.

The answer is $120 for 5 years. Global Entry currently costs $120 per application (minors are free when a parent is already enrolled or applying simultaneously), and membership lasts five years. TSA PreCheck, by comparison, costs $85 for five years — but Global Entry includes PreCheck automatically, making it the better value for anyone who travels internationally even occasionally.

That's all for today. Global Entry being back is a win — a small one amid a mess that isn't fully resolved, but a win. Stay patient at the airports this spring break season, use your PreCheck lanes, and check those wait times before you head out. See you tomorrow.