On paper the choice between TSA PreCheck and Global Entry looks simple, and plenty of guides tell you Global Entry is the better deal because it includes PreCheck for only a little more money. For a solo traveler that is often true. For a family it is not, because the two programs treat children in almost opposite ways. PreCheck lets kids ride through the fast lane free on a parent’s boarding pass, while Global Entry charges the full fee for every child and makes each one sit for an interview. That single difference can change which program saves your family money and hassle, and it is the part most comparisons skip. Here is how the two line up for families, including the kid rules, the name-change trap, and the birthday that quietly ends a teen’s free ride.
Start with what each program is for, because they solve different problems at different points in a trip, and a family that travels mostly within the country needs something different from one that flies abroad every year.
What each program does
TSA PreCheck speeds up airport security screening when you leave, so you keep your shoes, belt, and laptop packed and use a shorter line at the checkpoint. Global Entry speeds up the other end of an international trip, letting you clear United States customs and immigration at a kiosk or through the official app instead of the main arrivals queue. The two are run by different parts of the government, and the important overlap is one-directional: a Global Entry membership includes the PreCheck benefit, but a PreCheck membership does not include Global Entry. So Global Entry is the broader card for an adult who flies internationally. Whether that logic holds for your kids is where families need to slow down.
The comparison at a glance
| TSA PreCheck | Global Entry | |
|---|---|---|
| What it speeds up | Airport security when you depart | US customs and immigration when you arrive from abroad |
| Kids 12 and under | Ride the lane free with an enrolled parent | Need their own membership |
| Teens 13 to 17 | Join an enrolled parent on the same reservation if the indicator shows | Need their own membership |
| Adults 18 and over | Own membership (Known Traveler Number) required | Own membership required |
| Interview required? | No | Yes, for every applicant including children |
| Cost for five years | About $78 per person | $120 per person, kids included |
| Includes the other? | No | Yes, PreCheck is built in |
| Update your name | Through your enrollment provider | Online in your Trusted Traveler account |
Read the two cost rows together and the family math jumps out. A couple with two young kids can enroll the adults in PreCheck and bring both children along free, while the same family would pay the Global Entry fee four times over, once for each person. The programs are not priced with families in mind, so the right pick depends heavily on how old your kids are and where you fly.
How kids fit into TSA PreCheck
PreCheck is generous to young families. Children 12 and under can go through the PreCheck lane with an enrolled parent or guardian without needing their own membership, as long as they are traveling on the same reservation. Teens between 13 and 17 can also join an enrolled parent in the lane, but with a condition: they have to be on the same reservation and the PreCheck indicator has to appear on the teen’s own boarding pass. When it does not show for a teen, they use the standard line while the younger kids and the enrolled adult go through the fast lane. This is why families with children usually get most of PreCheck’s value by enrolling just the parents.
Global Entry gives kids no free ride
Global Entry works the opposite way, and this is the detail that trips up families. There is no companion rule and no children’s discount. Every traveler who wants to use the Global Entry kiosk needs an approved membership of their own, at any age, which means a separate application, the full fee, and an in-person interview for each child. A newborn needs one to use the kiosk just as an adult does. So a family of four that wants everyone clearing customs the fast way is looking at four applications, four fees, and four interviews, not one membership that covers the household. That is a real cost worth weighing before you assume Global Entry is automatically the better value.
The name-change trap that breaks the benefit
Both programs hinge on your name matching your travel document, and a mismatch quietly disables the benefit. The Known Traveler Number in your airline profile has to line up with the name on your government ID and boarding pass, so after a marriage, divorce, or any legal name change, an out-of-date profile can stop the PreCheck indicator from printing even though your membership is active. For a family this matters most when a parent changes their name but the kids’ reservations, or the parent’s own frequent flyer profile, still carry the old one. Update the name on your Trusted Traveler account and in every airline profile you book under, and do it well before a trip rather than the night before.
How you fix it depends on the program. A Global Entry name change can be started online through your Trusted Traveler account, and because Global Entry carries the PreCheck benefit, updating it there flows through to both. A standalone PreCheck name change goes through the enrollment provider instead and can take longer to process, so allow several weeks. If your name is about to change, sort the membership out early so the correction has time to land.
Renewals and the 18th-birthday age-out
The other thing families forget is that a child’s free ride has an expiry date, and it is not the membership card. A kid who breezed through PreCheck on a parent’s boarding pass for years reaches a wall at 18: adults need their own Known Traveler Number, so a soon-to-be-adult should enroll in their own program before that birthday to avoid losing the benefit mid-trip. Teens between 13 and 17 hit a softer version of this, since the indicator has to appear on their own boarding pass to use the lane. On the Global Entry side, every child already has a membership, but those renew on a five-year cycle like an adult’s, and a growing child’s appearance changes enough that renewals and any required updates should not be left to the last minute. Put both programs’ expiry dates on the calendar the way you track passports.
Which one a family should choose
For a family that flies mostly within the country, PreCheck is usually the better buy: enroll the adults, let the kids ride along, and skip the per-child cost and interviews entirely. For a family that travels abroad together, Global Entry earns its keep because it covers the slow international arrivals process and folds in PreCheck for departures, but budget honestly for the full fee on every member, children included, and for getting each child to an interview. Some families split the difference by putting the adults, or the frequent international flyer among them, on Global Entry while relying on the companion rules to carry younger kids through domestic security. There is no single right answer, only the one that matches your kids’ ages and your route map.
Program rules, age brackets, and fees are set by the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection and can change. Treat the figures here as a starting point and confirm the current requirements and costs on the official TSA and CBP or Trusted Traveler Program websites before you apply or book, especially for a child’s eligibility and any name change.
What To Know
- PreCheck speeds up airport security on departure; Global Entry speeds up US customs on international arrival and includes PreCheck.
- PreCheck lets kids 12 and under ride the lane free with an enrolled parent, and teens 13 to 17 join if the indicator shows on their boarding pass.
- Global Entry gives children no free ride: every traveler needs their own membership, fee, and interview, at any age.
- A legal name change can stop the PreCheck indicator from printing, so update your Trusted Traveler account and airline profiles before you book.
- At 18 a child needs their own membership, so enroll a teen before that birthday, and track renewal dates like you track passports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do my kids need their own TSA PreCheck membership?
Usually not while they are minors traveling with you. Children 12 and under can use the PreCheck lane free with an enrolled parent or guardian on the same reservation, with no membership of their own. Teens 13 to 17 can also come along when they are on the same booking and the PreCheck indicator appears on their boarding pass. Once a child turns 18, they need their own Known Traveler Number to use the lane, so plan to enroll them before that birthday.
Is Global Entry free or discounted for children?
No. Unlike some trusted traveler programs, Global Entry charges the full enrollment fee for every applicant regardless of age, and each child needs a separate application and an in-person interview. A family of four that all wants to use the kiosk pays four fees and books four interviews. That per-child cost is the main reason PreCheck often works out cheaper for families with young kids, since PreCheck lets those kids ride through security free with a parent.
Should a family with kids get PreCheck or Global Entry?
It depends on where you fly. If your trips are mostly domestic, PreCheck is generally the better value because the adults enroll and the kids come along free at the security checkpoint. If you travel internationally as a family, Global Entry covers the slow customs process on arrival and includes PreCheck for departures, but you pay the full fee for every family member, children included. Match the choice to your kids’ ages and your usual destinations.
Why did my PreCheck stop working after I changed my name?
Because the benefit depends on your name matching across your membership, your government ID, and your boarding pass. After a legal name change, an out-of-date airline profile or trusted traveler record can stop the PreCheck indicator from printing even though the membership is still valid. Update your name in your Trusted Traveler account and in every airline profile you book under, and allow time for the change to process before you travel, since a standalone PreCheck update can take a few weeks.
What happens to my teen’s PreCheck when they turn 18?
The companion arrangement ends. While your teen is 17 or younger, they can use the PreCheck lane with an enrolled parent under the age rules, but at 18 they are treated as an adult and need their own Known Traveler Number to get the benefit. To avoid a surprise at the checkpoint, enroll them in their own PreCheck or Global Entry membership before their 18th birthday, and confirm their new number is saved to their airline profiles.
What To Do Next
Decide by route first: mostly domestic points you toward PreCheck for the adults, while regular international trips justify Global Entry for everyone who will use the kiosk. Check every family member’s name matches their ID before you book, and mark the renewal and 18th-birthday dates on your calendar. For related help, see our guide to fixing a passport name mismatch at airline check-in and our comparison of Mobile Passport Control versus renewing Global Entry. The travel section has more on getting your family through the airport with less friction.
