Latest news with #GlobalEntry
USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
TSA may pull you aside if you have these 4 letters on your boarding pass
TSA may pull you aside if you have these 4 letters on your boarding pass Show Caption Hide Caption What you need to know about airport security rules and checkpoints Here are TSA rules that you need to know and what to expect at each airport checkpoint. The code "SSSS" on a boarding pass stands for "Secondary Security Screening Selection," requiring additional screening at TSA checkpoints. Reasons for the "SSSS" code can include last-minute ticket purchases, one-way cash payments, travel to specific countries, suspicious behavior, or random selection. Passengers with "SSSS" on their boarding pass should allow an extra 15-45 minutes for security screening. As the temperatures rise and the skies clear up, you might be looking forward to a summer vacation. But before flying to your destination, you'll have to go through screening at a TSA checkpoint. Loading and unloading your luggage during the process is a hassle. But TSA can also pull you aside for additional screening if they find something on your boarding pass. Here's what to know. What will happen if there's an 'SSSS' on your boarding pass If your boarding pass has "SSSS" on it, TSA will pull you aside for additional screening. "SSSS" stands for "Secondary Security Screening Selection," which means you'll have to take an extra few steps beyond regular security protocols, according to Islands. This is not just for regular pass holders. Even those with a Trusted Traveler Program, such as Global Entry and TSA Precheck, or a CLEAR access purchase, may also be pulled for additional screening if they find those four letters on their boarding pass. Why is there an 'SSSS' on my boarding pass? The code can appear on anyone's boarding pass. A few common reasons for this group of letters include: Purchasing a last-minute ticket; Booking a direct one-way flight and paying in cash; Flying to or from a country flagged by the U.S. State Department; Raising suspicions at the airport; Selected at random. If you do find this quartet of letters on your boarding pass, allow 15–45 minutes of extra time to get through security at the airport. Annual traffic at airports in 2024 The TSA reported a total of 904,068,577 commercial passengers in 2024. That number was up from 858,548,196 passengers in 2023, according to TSA checkpoints. That's an increase of 5.3%. As of the end of May, 403,784,688 commercial passengers have passed through TSA checkpoints in 2025. Jim Ross contributed
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
‘Trusted travelers' can get a faster way to enter the US. It involves a selfie
Amid changing Trump administration policies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is offering international travelers a quicker way to legally enter the country. Since 2023, a mobile app has been available to streamline entry into the United States as long as the requirements are met. The steps are simple, and the federal agency says they allow travelers to 'complete their arrival processing instead of waiting in line to use a kiosk.' What is Global Entry and who are 'trusted travelers'? Customs promotes the use of the Global Entry mobile app on social media as available for 'trusted travelers' enrolled in the program. About 20 countries participate in the Global Entry program. The Trump administration included El Salvador in April, in recognition of President Nayib Bukele's support for mass deportation operations. In addition to El Salvador, the U.S. offers Global Entry to other Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama. The program allows international travelers considered 'low-risk' to fast-track customs and immigration procedures when arriving in the United States. Global Entry is one of the four trusted traveler programs offered by Customs and Border Patrol and benefits millions of people each year with expedited entry. The Global Entry mobile app can be used in various U.S. airports, including Miami. Under the Department of Homeland Security, the program is also applied at U.S. seaports. Requirements for applying to the Global Entry program in the U.S. ▪ All applicants must undergo rigorous and recurring background checks and a personal interview before their initial enrollment, according to Customs and Border Protection. ▪ Global Entry members can maintain their low-risk traveler status as long as they do not violate the program's terms and conditions. ▪ Violations can result in enforcement actions and the cancellation of the traveler's membership privileges. How the Global Entry app and the rapid entry process work Photo: With the new mobile app, a traveler needs to take a 'selfie,' which will be compared against an image gallery to verify identity using facial recognition. Inspection: Once the photo is sent via the app, a traveler will receive a receipt that allows them to proceed directly to Customs officers at the inspection area to expedite entry into the United States. TSA: The program also allows options like TSA PreCheck for members who meet the requirements for domestic flights, quickening security screening at participating U.S. airports. Cost: At a cost of $120, the program offers an option for frequent international travelers, particularly those with more than four trips a year. The application is completed online, and membership is valid for five years. Note that the program does not exempt participating countries from visa requirements.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Judge extends block on Trump passport policy to all trans, nonbinary Americans
A federal judge on Tuesday extended an order blocking the Trump administration from enforcing a policy requiring identity documents to reflect an individual's sex 'at conception' to all transgender, nonbinary and intersex Americans who want to change the sex designation on their passports. A previous ruling, handed down in April, had ordered the State Department to allow only six trans and nonbinary plaintiffs named in a federal lawsuit to obtain passports with sex designations matching their gender identity while the case proceeds. The lawsuit, filed in February in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, argues the administration's policy 'is motivated by impermissible animus.' The plaintiffs' legal team at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Massachusetts and the law firm Covington & Burling LLP asked the court in April to certify a class of people adversely affected by the passport policy and extend the preliminary injunction to those who are currently impacted or may be impacted in the future. Judge Julia E. Kobick, an appointee of former President Biden, granted that request on Tuesday. She wrote in her ruling that the six named plaintiffs and the new class of plaintiffs 'face the same injury: they cannot obtain a passport with a sex designation that aligns with their gender identity.' In granting the initial preliminary injunction in April, Kobick wrote that the federal government had failed 'to demonstrate that its actions are substantially related to an important governmental interest.' The State Department suspended processing applications from Americans seeking to update their passports with a new gender marker in January, shortly after President Trump signed an executive order proclaiming the U.S. recognizes only two sexes, male and female, and that those sexes 'are not changeable.' The order, which Trump signed during his first hours back in office, directs the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Office of Personnel Management to require government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas and Global Entry cards, to reflect an individual's sex at birth over their gender identity. The State Department previously allowed U.S. passport holders to self-select their sex designations, including an 'unspecified' gender marker denoted by the letter X. Kobick wrote in her ruling on Tuesday that passports are used not just for international travel but also for more common and mundane tasks such as filling out employment paperwork, opening a bank account or renting a car. 'Absent preliminary injunctive relief, these plaintiffs may effectively be forced to out themselves as transgender or non-binary every time they present their passport,' Kobick wrote, making them more vulnerable to discrimination, harassment and violence and increasing their experiences of anxiety and psychological distress. In a 2022 survey, 22 percent of transgender adults said they were verbally harassed, assaulted, asked to leave an establishment or denied services after they presented an identity document with a name or gender that did not match their gender presentation. In a statement, Jessie Rossman, legal director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, said Tuesday's ruling 'acknowledges the immediate and profound negative impact' of the Trump administration's policy. 'This decision is a critical victory against discrimination and for equal justice under the law,' said Li Nowlin-Sohl, senior staff attorney for the ACLU's LGBTQ & HIV Project. 'But it's also a historic win in the fight against this administration's efforts to drive transgender people out of public life. The State Department's policy is a baseless barrier for transgender, nonbinary, and intersex Americans and denies them the dignity we all deserve.'
UPI
5 days ago
- Business
- UPI
JPMorgan Chase boosts Sapphire Reserve credit card annual fee to $795
The JPMorgan Chase & Co. sign hangs at the bank's headquarters on Park Avenue in New York City. On Tuesday, Chase announced it would nearly double the annual fee on its Sapphire Reserve premium credit card to $795, in exchange for additional travel perks. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo June 17 (UPI) -- JPMorgan Chase is banking on a slew of new travel rewards to justify a massive annual fee increase of 45% on its popular premium credit card. The bank announced Tuesday that its Sapphire Reserve card will now cost users $795 each year in exchange for double the value of points for select travel offers, a $500 annual credit on select resorts and a $300 dining credit for select restaurants, starting next Monday. "It's been almost 10 years since Sapphire first launched, and we really think we tapped into something special in the premium card space when it did," Chris Reagan, president of branded cards at Chase, told reporters last week. "But we know that the industry has changed a lot since then." In addition to travel perks and airport lounge access, the card will include a free Apple TV+ subscription, a $300 DoorDash credit and a $300 credit for StubHub tickets. The card also features a $120 credit for TSA Precheck and Global Entry. Chase said it also tweaked the points structure on the card with eight-times the points -- more than double -- on purchases through Chase Travel, four times the points on flights and hotels booked directly and three times the points on dining. Five times more points can be earned on "eligible" transportation, along with points for everyday spending, according to Chase, which touted its "new points redemption accelerator program" that will replace what first drew customers to Sapphire Reserve. "We're bringing elevated benefits and greater value in the areas that our current members are most passionate about," said Sam Palmer, general manager of Chase Sapphire, who promised the new Sapphire Reserve will deliver "over $2,700 in card member value." Those who spend more than $75,000 a year in card purchases will see even more benefits. Chase launched its Sapphire Reserve card in 2016 before it quickly became one of the most popular premium credit cards for travel, according to travel news website One Mile at a Time. "When the Sapphire Reserve first came out, it was a solid middle-class play that offered champagne travel on a beer budget," said senior Bankrate analyst Ted Rossman. "These premium cards are going more luxury, and I wonder if the $800 fees are becoming too much for some to stomach." While the changes for new cardmembers go into effect Monday, existing cardmembers will not see the changes -- or increased annual fee -- until Oct. 26.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- USA Today
You might be able to get through customs quicker at these airports
You might be able to get through customs quicker at these airports Show Caption Hide Caption Safeguard your data privacy while flying and sharing on social media These important data privacy tips can protect you when flying and sharing content on social media. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is implementing new technologies to expedite the customs process for international travelers. Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) uses automated photo capture to pre-screen U.S. citizens at various airports and border crossings. Seamless Border Entry further expedites screening for Global Entry members at select airports using "On The Move" technology to speed up screening. Travelers returning to the U.S. will have new ways to navigate customs this summer at many major airports and border crossing points, and they may be able to avoid waiting in long lines after getting off a long flight. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) highlighted two technologically enhanced screening options that make passport processing faster for arriving passengers using upgraded biometric screening technologies at various checkpoints. "CBP is committed to enhancing national security while streamlining lawful travel," CBP's Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Diane J. Sabatino said in a statement. "By leveraging advanced technologies and mobile applications, we are transforming inspections at airports into a seamless, touchless process, enabling faster risk identification and efficient processing of legitimate visitors." Enhanced Passenger Processing is available to all U.S. citizens, but Seamless Border Entry requires Global Entry enrollment. Here's what travelers need to know about these CBP upgrades and where they can take advantage of them on their next trip. Enhanced Passenger Processing Enhanced Passenger Processing uses automatic photo capturing at checkpoints to notify CBP officers about travelers' details before they reach the passport check. According to the CBP, the assessment provided by the EPP array includes biometric confirmation, entry eligibility and the need for enforcement before the passenger reaches the agent. That profile allows the screening to happen faster. EPP is available for the U.S. at these CBP locations, according to the agency: Orlando International Airport Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Denver International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Cross Border Xpress (San Diego/Tijuana) Chicago O'Hare International Airport Los Angeles International Airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Dublin Airport (Ireland) Seamless Border Entry Global Entry members can benefit from even faster screening at some airports. CBP is using "On The Move" technology, which screens passengers as they move through the terminal rather than requiring them to process them at a kiosk. According to CBP, Seamless Border Entry allows Global Entry enrollees "to move through the inspection process seamlessly with minimal interaction with a CBP officer, depending on officer discretion." Seamless Border Entry is available at these CBP locations, according to the agency: Los Angeles International Airport Miami International Airport Washington Dulles International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport Newark Liberty International Airport George Bush Continental Airport Toronto Pierson International Airport (Canada) Travelers who do not have Global Entry and do not wish to participate in EPP can also take advantage of CBP's Mobile Passport Control app to streamline their experience at the border. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@
