30 Apr Three Travel Tools To Make Life Easier
Here are three travel tools designed to make vacations, business trips, and other kinds of travel go as smoothly as possible. These innovative travel tools keep everyone safe and help you move about more efficiently and reduce long waiting times, which sounds pretty good to us because who likes waiting in long lines?
Global Entry
After a long flight home, sadly saying goodbye to the most blissful vacation ever, all you want to do is get home and get cozy. Global Entry is a program that enables travelers to speed through customs and immigration. Travelers must be pre-approved for the stress-free, time-saving US Customs and Border Protection program, which is subject to detailed background checks and in-person interviews. We say the application process is worth the effort because it is nice to breeze through the airport when you are back home.
The program is in place in many airports in America. You go to the Global Entry kiosk and show your passport or permanent resident card for the US, have your fingerprints scanned and complete the customs form. Then you are given a receipt to collect your luggage. Meanwhile, all the other travelers who were with you on the plane are lining up and scrolling through IG feeds to pass the time.
TSA
The Transportation Security Administration was formed after the September 11 terrorist attacks to increase security for American travelers in the sky and on the ground. The US Department of Homeland Security agency has many roles in the public eye and, behind the scenes, working to keep the public safe.
You might be on a flight to the tropics and not realize a federal air marshal is on board. Like you see a police officer patrolling the streets of your neighborhood, the air marshals watch out for trouble in the skies. They have dogs on the job, too with thousands of canines trained to detect explosives. They also check roads, trains and other forms of transportation.
Frequent travelers can enroll for TSA PreCheck for expedited security screening, including not having to remove jackets and shoes. You can apply online and book an appointment and fingerprinting in advance of the background check. This program is excellent for families with young children, the elderly or anyone who likes to get through the airport quickly to dive into some duty-free shopping or relax before the flight.
Real ID
A Real ID is a driver’s license or identification card that is federally accepted and can be used to board a domestic flight in the States and enter secure federal facilities like military bases and courthouses.
This extra layer of security is designed to keep everyone safe.
The REAL ID Act is a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be accepted for federal purposes, such as domestic boarding or entering secure military installations or federal facilities where ID must be shown.
From October 2021, the federal government will require you to show a REAL ID-compliant credential, or another federally approved form of ID, before boarding a domestic flight or entering a secure federal facility. We recommend you get it now so when you want to travel (or if you get invited to a nuclear power plant), you will be ready to go.
We hope this has clarified the travel tools that can make your travel more comfortable and convenient and give you peace of mind that many safety protocols are in place as you head off on your exciting journeys.