If you are plannng to sign up for TSA Precheck there are many credit cards that will reimburse you for the cost of TSA Precheck.  You might have one of these cards already.  If you don’t already have a card that reimburses you for the TSA Precheck fee, consider whether it makes sense to apply for one of them before you apply for TSA Precheck so that you can offset the cost.

(Note: Global Entry includes TSA Precheck so most people will find it better to apply for Global Entry vs TSA Precheck. While most of these cards reimburse holders for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck, a few cards only reimburse for Global Entry or TSA Precheck.  Here is a list of credit cards that reimburse for Global Entry if you decide to apply for Global Entry instead.)

TSA Precheck Fee Reimbursement

Several credit cards and charge cards reimburse cardholders for the TSA Precheck ($85).

Most (but not all) of these cards also reimburse the fee for Global Entry application fee ($100) if you decide Global Entry is a better option for you.

Although NEXUS and SENTRI include TSA Precheck and Global Entry benefits, the fees for NEXUS or SENTRI are NOT reimbursed by any of these cards.

How Does the TSA Fee Credit Work?

The free TSA Pre benefit appears as a statement credit automatically after that card is used to pay for the TSA Precheck fee.

The TSA Fee credit benefit, however, can only be used once every 4 to 5 years (depending on the card) and only for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck – not both.

More specific information regarding the reimbursement of TSA Precheck fees can be found in the terms and conditions for each card.

Can You Use Your TSA Precheck Fee Credits for Others?

Yes, you can use your TSA Precheck fee credit for another person.  The banks don’t know the name of the person who applied for TSA Precheck, they will just see a charge on your account.  If you decide to use your TSA Precheck fee credit for someone else, that person does not have to be a family member or authorized user, it can be anyone.

List of Credit/ Charge Cards That Reimburse TSA Precheck Fee

Below is the current list of all cards that reimburse the TSA Precheck fee.  (We don’t have credit card affiliate links but a couple of these links are our personal referral links.)

•  Provident World+ Travel – No annual fee – Every 4 years
•  HSBC Premier World Mastercard Credit Card  – No Annual Fee for qualified Premier clients – Every 5 years
•  Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature Flagship Rewards – $49 annual fee but only available for members of the armed forces, veterans and their families
•  U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Gold American Express® Card – $85 annual fee  –  Every 5 years
•  IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card – $89 annual fee – Every 4 years
•  SunTrust Travel Rewards Credit Card – $89 annual fee (waived first year) – Every 5 years
•  BB&T Spectrum Travel Rewards Credit Card – $89 annual fee (waived first year) – Every 4 years
•  Chase United Explorer Card – $95 annual fee (waived first year) – Every 4 years
•  Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card – $95 annual fee (waived first year) – Every 4 years
•  Spark® Miles from Capital One  –  $95 annual fee (waived first year) – Every 4 years
•  Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card – $95 annual fee  – Every 4 years
•  Expedia+ Voyager Card from Citi – $95 annual fee – Every year as part of annual fee credit but not open to new applicants
•  Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card – $199 annual fee – Every 4 years
•  Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Card – $250 annual fee – Every 4.5 years
•  American Express Corporate Gold Card – $250 annual fee – Every 4.5 years
•  HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card  – $395 annual fee  –  Every 5 years
•  U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card  – $400 annual fee but exclusive to U.S. Bank customers  – Every 4 years
•  Citi /AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard -$450 annual fee – Every 5 years
•  Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card – $450 annual fee – Every 4.5 years
•  SKYPASS Select Visa Signature® Card – $450 annual fee – Every 4 years
•  Citi Prestige Card – $495 annual fee – Every 5 years
•  United Club Infinite Card – $525 annual fee
•  Chase Sapphire Reserve – $550 annual fee  – Every 4 years
•  Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card – $550 annual fee – Every 4.5 years
•  Platinum Card from American Express – $550 annual fee – Every 4.5 years
•  American Express Corporate Platinum Card – $550 annual fee  – Every 4.5 years
•  Business Platinum Card from American Express -$595 annual fee – Every 4.5 years
•  Centurion Card from American Express – By invitation only  – $5,000 annual fee plus $10,000 initiation fee

I believe these are all the cards that offer a TSA Precheck reimbursement. (Let me know if I am missing any.)

Should You Apply for a Credit Card Just for the TSA Precheck Fee Credit?

Many travelers already have one of more of these cards but if you don’t you might wonder if it worth getting a new credit card before applying/renewing TSA Precheck. Personally I would not apply for a credit card solely to avoid the TSA Precheck fee but I would consider if it was a card that was useful to me.

Most of these cards charge high annual fees (but most offer additional airline fee credits which may offset the high annual fees).

However if a card has no annual fee or a fee of $85 or less it might be worth applying for the card before your TSA Precheck application so that you can get it for free. The best option is the Provident World+ Travel which has no annual fee.  Other good options include the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card or the Chase United Explorer Card which both charge an $95 annual fee (waived for the first year).

Also applying for many cards makes it harder to get approved for new credit cards, so you don’t want to get a card you don’t need just for the TSA Precheck credit and have a hard time getting approved for another card you really want.