Hello! I’m on my way back home after a quick trip to Bogota, Colombia (and sadly missing TravelCon II.) I’m currently sitting in the Admirals Club at Miami Airport because I’m too lazy to go through a security checkpoint without TSA Pre to get into another terminal for the Priority Pass lounge there. Just enough time to write a couple of short blog posts before my connecting flight!
Via Michael W Travels (no that’s not my blog, even though I am also a Michael W), Mobile Passport is a quick and easy way to clear customs when returning to the US. Best of all, it’s free! Currently, it is only available at Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Chicago and San Francisco airports.
I actually saw the signs at San Francisco the last time I came back through San Francisco but didn’t bother as I have Global Entry. I saw the linked post just before I departed from Bogota to Miami, so when I saw the signs at Miami Airport, I decided to try it. The registration process in-app is pretty easy. All it does is ask for your passport information (currently only available for those with US and Canadian passports.)
None of this (line was longer earlier)
When you land back in the US, you need to get a data connection on your phone. You select the “New Trip” option, select travelers, arriving airport, and airline. It asks you the normal US Customs questions then generates a receipt including QR code that you can show to US Customers and Border Protection. You still need your passport as many agents will ask for it to compare to the receipt. When I tried it in Miami, the lines for Mobile Passport were equal or shorter than the Global Entry lines, and I didn’t have to wait in line for the kiosks either.
How to start a new trip
Anyways, I suggest trying it if you are landing in the US in any of those airports! Certainly can’t hurt, and it’s free! Personally, I’ll be comparing both lines to see whether I want to use my Global Entry that day or not.
How do I look after a long flight?
Lol you look pretty happy!
[…] Mobile Passport – better than Global Entry? (‘dem flyers). […]
[…] back in SFO was somewhat depressing after seeing how nice LHR was. I told Alex to download Mobile Passport and somehow he got through Customs & Immigration at about the same time that I did with Global […]
Clearing immigration is one thing and you can certainly take the shorter one, MP vs GE. However, you have to clear custom too. GE has its own separate line there (and it’s almost always no wait), but I’m not aware MP does. Thus, if you pick MP when the line is slightly shorter than GE at immigration, you may find yourself in a long line of people exiting custom later.
[…] also has Mobile Passport, which I tend to find to be equally fast as Global Entry. So I tried that too, and it also rejected […]