Yes, the Chase Sapphire Preferred does cover TSA PreCheck. Starting June 15, 2026, the card includes an automatic statement credit of up to $120 every four years when you charge the application fee for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS to the card. There is no form to submit and no benefit to activate.
How the Credit Posts to Your Account
Apply for the program you want, pay the enrollment fee with your Sapphire Preferred, and Chase posts the statement credit automatically once the charge hits your account. The credit covers both initial applications and renewals, and it resets once every four years.
Chase’s formal guidance allows up to six to eight weeks for the credit to appear, though reporting on the Sapphire Reserve, which has carried the same benefit for years, indicates the turnaround is typically much faster.
Before the June 2026 refresh, this credit was not part of the Sapphire Preferred at all. It had been reserved for the Sapphire Reserve, which carries a $795 annual fee. The Preferred still costs $95 a year.
What the $120 Actually Covers
The three programs the credit works for have different fees, and $120 is enough to fully cover any of them:
- TSA PreCheck costs $76.75 to $85 for new enrollment depending on the provider (IDEMIA, Telos, or CLEAR), with renewals running roughly $59 to $78.
- Global Entry is exactly $120 for a five-year membership.
- NEXUS is also $120 for five years.
Because TSA PreCheck costs less than $120, you don’t pocket the difference. The credit reimburses the actual fee charged, nothing more. If you travel internationally even occasionally, Global Entry is the stronger pick at the same out-of-pocket cost, since it includes PreCheck benefits plus expedited U.S. customs on return trips. NEXUS adds dedicated U.S.–Canada border lanes on top of Global Entry kiosk access and PreCheck eligibility, but it requires approval from both U.S. and Canadian border agencies.
Can You Use the Credit for a Family Member?
You can. If you charge a spouse’s or family member’s application fee to your Sapphire Preferred, Chase sees only a transaction from U.S. Customs and Border Protection or the enrollment provider. The issuer does not check whose name is on the application, so the credit still posts.
One caution: once the credit triggers, it will not reset for another four years. If your own PreCheck or Global Entry renewal is coming up inside that window, use it on yourself first.
Whether an authorized user can separately trigger their own credit is less clear. Reporting on the Sapphire Reserve indicates credits are earned once per account rather than per cardholder, so the account gets one credit per four-year cycle regardless of who makes the qualifying charge.
How To Apply and Trigger the Credit
The steps are the same whichever program you choose:
- Submit the application online. TSA PreCheck uses the TSA enrollment site; Global Entry and NEXUS go through the Trusted Traveler Programs portal. The online portion of a PreCheck application takes about five minutes.
- Schedule an in-person visit for fingerprinting and identity verification. PreCheck appointments typically run about ten minutes. Global Entry requires an interview with a Customs and Border Protection officer, and NEXUS requires approval from both U.S. and Canadian agencies.
- Pay with your Sapphire Preferred. This is the only step that matters for the credit. For Global Entry, the fee is paid online during the application. For TSA PreCheck, it is collected at the enrollment center.
- Wait for your Known Traveler Number. Most PreCheck applicants receive a KTN within three to five days, though some take up to 60 days. Global Entry timelines vary more widely, from a couple of weeks to several months.
- Add the KTN to your flight reservations. Membership alone does not get you into the PreCheck lane; the number has to be in the Known Traveler Number field on the booking so the indicator prints on your boarding pass.
Once the enrollment fee posts to your Sapphire Preferred, the statement credit follows on its own. You do not need to call Chase, file a claim, or submit a receipt. If the credit has not shown up after about two months, that is the point to contact the issuer.