Global Entry Is Back: What the Program’s Return Means for International Travelers

Travelers who regularly fly internationally received some good news this week, as the US announced that the Global Entry program was being reinstated. After being suspended for several weeks, the Trusted Traveler program, which is designed to speed up the customs process when returning to the country, resumed on March 11.

The temporary suspension, which stemmed from a partial government shutdown that impacted the Department of Homeland Security, had created confusion for travelers and increased wait times at many airports. With the program now back online, officials and travel industry groups hope the move will help ease congestion at international arrival points just as the busy spring travel season ramps up.

Discover more about the program’s temporary shutdown and what the reinstatement means for travelers today.

What Global Entry Does for Travelers

Global Entry is one of the US government’s Trusted Traveler Programs, which allows pre-approved passengers to move through customs more quickly when entering the United States. Participants undergo background checks and interviews before enrollment, and once approved, they can use dedicated kiosks or facial-recognition systems at participating airports.

For frequent travelers, the benefits are significant. While standard customs lines can sometimes stretch for 30 minutes to more than an hour, Global Entry members typically pass through the process in just a few minutes. The program also includes access to expedited airport security screening through TSA PreCheck, providing additional time savings during domestic travel.

Travelers are drawn to the program for the boost in efficiency that it provides, but the pricing is also quite attractive. Membership, which lasts for five years, only costs around $120, making it one of the most popular travel convenience programs in the United States.

Why the Program Was Suspended

The Global Entry disruption began in February when the Department of Homeland Security paused the program due to a partial government shutdown. Officials said the suspension was necessary because funding constraints and staffing shortages required personnel to be redirected to core security and border processing duties. While this certainly wasn’t the first example of government programs being suspended or phased out over the last year, it was among the most impactful for millions of travelers.

During the shutdown, the officers who typically handled Global Entry kiosks were reassigned to general traveler lines. Without those dedicated lanes, pre-approved travelers were forced to join standard customs queues, contributing to longer wait times at major international airports. The pause also sparked criticism from travel industry organizations and lawmakers. Many of them argued that suspending the program would create unnecessary congestion at already busy entry points, a point that was quickly proved true.

Airport Delays Highlight the Program’s Importance

It didn’t take long for the shutdown to highlight just how important the program is for airports looking to manage the flow of foot traffic. At some airports, travelers reported customs lines stretching for hours as the number of passengers moving through standard inspection lanes increased.

Industry groups warned that removing Global Entry could significantly slow international arrivals, especially at major hubs handling thousands of travelers each day. The program is designed specifically to move low-risk travelers through customs quickly, allowing officers to focus more attention on higher-risk cases. While the program wasn’t suspended for as long as some experts had initially feared, the temporary shutdown did prove that the program reduces the amount of work for DHS employees and other airport staff members.

What Travelers Should Expect Now

Now that the program has been officially reinstated, travelers who enrolled can once again expect expedited customs processing. However, airport delays may still occur in the short term as staffing shortages and high seasonal travel volumes continue to affect operations. With some of the busiest travel months of the year coming up, it’s fair to wonder how long these delays will impact TSA processing times.

Millions of passengers are expected to pass through U.S. airports in the coming weeks, making programs like Global Entry especially valuable for keeping arrival halls moving efficiently. For travelers who frequently fly internationally, the program’s return unlocks the Global Entry benefits that made the program so popular in the first place.

The Bigger Picture for Travel Programs

The initial suspension of the Global Entry program has sparked conversations about how trusted traveler programs fit into the nation’s travel infrastructure on a larger scale. According to studies, more than 12 million Americans are currently enrolled in the program, and other travel programs that promote smoother, more efficient travel boast a total of 40 million enrollees. When it comes to modern air travel, expedited programs like the Global Entry program have become a foundational part of the equation, but the ease with which it was suspended has left millions to wonder what sort of safety nets are in place.

As international travel continues to grow, programs like Global Entry are likely to play an even larger role in balancing security with efficiency. For now, travelers can once again take advantage of one of the most popular perks in international travel, faster entry back into the United States.

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