Pre? Check.

Last night I ventured out to JFK airport without a suitcase or a plane ticket. It felt strange to go to an airport when I wasn't going on a trip or collecting a visitor, but I had a particular mission: I was going to be interviewed for the Global Entry program.

Suckers.

For those who travel a lot and have a bit of free time and a spare $100, I highly recommend looking into this option*. If you qualify as a "known traveler" you can get through some of the more tedious aspects of airport security more efficiently. For example, when re-entering the US after traveling overseas, scanning your passport, providing fingerprints, and looking into a camera allow you to skip the customs line; you can simply punch a few buttons on a machine and you're good to go. I will look forward to doing this when I return from international trips. For me, though, the big draw was qualifying for TSA's pre-check. I was eager to wait in a shorter line for security and sail through without bothering to take my  laptop out of my bag or remove my shoes and coat.

If you've lived at the same address for the last five years or worked the same job for a while, your application will likely be pretty simple. Mine, alas, took a while. You have to provide lots of information about your residence (and past residences), employment (current and past), countries you've visited, etc. All this is done online. Then you submit a $100 application fee and settle in to wait - in my case, it took about a month. Eventually, if all goes well, you'll be contacted to schedule an interview date to which you have to bring your passport and proof of address.

Getting to JFK via public transportation is a hassle and was the most cumbersome part of the process. It takes over an hour, but I got lots of knitting done on the subway and it wasn't too terrible. At the office, the woman who was called by a different agent to interview before me was questioned very thoroughly, so I guess some people get the third degree; for me, however, the "interview" was over in fewer than ten minutes. I was photographed and my fingerprints were taken, then I was asked to verify my address and email address. I then learned I'd been approved and was sent on my way. The guy did not even ask for the proof of address I'd brought.

Don't be this guy.

Now I am waiting for my card to arrive so I can begin to enjoy the expedited security measures my $100 and sterling reputation have earned me. My status is good for five years; $20 a year for faster clearance at airports seems well worth it to me.

If you're interested in becoming part of this exclusive circle, access the link for the application here. Meanwhile, have fun in the security line. When you make it through, you'll find me halfway through a martini at the bar in the terminal.


*An additional caveat is that only certain airports have interview centers. If you don't live in a big city, you may need to travel to the closest one for your interview.