Even for seasoned travelers, navigating international customs (and even domestic TSA) can be somewhat nerve-racking. Will the slices of Italian prosciutto tucked between your T-shirts make it through? Will you get in trouble for the banana at the bottom of your carry-on? While these kinds of situations can be disappointing or stressful, they also have a certain comedic quality about them.

Less funny? When the thing taken at customs is your prescription medication. Whether you use it for a chronic condition like high cholesterol or ulcerative colitis, or you have something like an EpiPen in case of an emergency, having these medications with you on your trip is a necessity. Here’s what you need to know to make sure your meds make it to the final destination.

1. Make sure it’s legal

Before booking anything related to your trip, make sure your medications are legal in the country you want to visit. Some drugs readily available in the U.S. are against the law to have in other countries. “A classic example is stimulants prescribed to people with ADHD,” says Eddy Bajrovic, who holds a bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery and is the medical director of Travelvax Australia, a travel medicine service. “Stimulants are illegal in quite a number of countries, including Japan.”

Start by visiting the International Narcotics Control Board website, which provides lists by country detailing what is and isn’t allowed. You could also check directly with the foreign embassy of the country you will be entering. Remember: Don’t just confirm your meds are safe to bring into your final destination—also check any countries where you have layovers. And if a country you want to visit doesn’t allow your prescription medication, it’s up to you whether you still want to travel there or not. “You have to decide if you can manage without your medications for the trip,” says Bajrovic. Your health care provider will be able to discuss your options with you. For example, there may be another medication that isn’t a controlled substance that you could take instead while traveling.

2. Pack a doctor’s note

Even if a medication is legal, you’re going to want to follow a few “best practices” to ensure you don’t hit any snags. For one thing, avoid tossing your meds into a travel-friendly pill case, as they can make it difficult for authorities to identify the drugs. (You can still bring one with you, though! They’re great for carrying a few pills when you’re out and about, once you’ve reached your destination.) “Generally speaking, have the medication in its original packaging, whether it’s a box or a bottle, since it has a sticker on it saying who prescribed it, your name, and dosage instructions,” Bajrovic says. “And it’s probably a good idea to carry a copy of the written prescription as well, or, if you don’t have that, at least a letter from your doctor saying you’re carrying X medication for X disease or condition.” This can be especially important if you take an injectable medication for conditions like ulcerative colitis or type 2 diabetes, since you’ll be traveling with a needle. In the letter from your doctor, make sure the medication is described by its generic name, since different countries have different brand names.

3. Bring the right amount

You don’t want to bring too little or too much of your medication. “Most countries allow you to bring up to a three-month supply, but if it’s a narcotic or stimulant or psychotropic medication, you might only be allowed to bring in 30 days,” says Bajrovic. His advice: Take enough for the length of your trip with a few days extra in case of a flight delay.

4. Be open about what you have

This may sound obvious, but when going through customs, you should declare any medication you are carrying. “A lot of people don’t mention it if it’s something basic like blood pressure medication or an anti-inflammatory for arthritis, but if it’s something that might be illegal and you aren’t entirely sure, you must declare it,” says Bajrovic. A few you should absolutely speak up about: medical marijuana, certain decongestants, and amphetamines. “If something is illegal—even if you didn’t know—and don’t declare it, you can be arrested,” he says.

5. Don’t forget about domestic flights

Even if you aren’t traveling internationally, you may still need to take a few precautions if you’re bringing more than 3.4 ounces of a liquid medication through TSA. Let the agent know at security, as they may need to do some additional screening before allowing you through.

While doing all this advanced work can seem like a lot, it beats the alternative: not having your medication with you on your trip (or worse, getting fined or detained because of something in your suitcase).

Global Entry is a game changer when it comes to international travel.

Since 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has helped American travelers expedite entry back into the U.S. from abroad at select airports thanks to the Global Entry system.

Now, this service is available at more than 75 airports (and counting). It is particularly valuable for frequent international travelers because it enables preapproved, low-risk travelers to return to the U.S. via automatic kiosks at select airports.

Global Entry members can, in many cases, simply take a photo at a mobile kiosk. At some airports, you’ll still need to scan your machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card before a quick fingerprint verification. Either way, Global Entry lets you skip the long lines to speak with a CBP officer. In most instances these days, you’ll simply be waved through by an officer.

Global Entry membership also includes access to TSA PreCheck, an expedited security program run by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. Global Entry can help users skip long immigration lines and complete the customs process in as little as 45 seconds! It enables you to speed through security via a TSA PreCheck-only line, and you don’t have to remove your laptop, liquids, belt or light jacket.

Here’s all you need to know about using Global Entry.

Domestic airports with Global Entry

As of July 2025, entry to the U.S. is available via Global Entry kiosks at 62 U.S. airports.

As you might expect, you can use Global Entry at some of the country’s biggest airports, like John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). You can also use it at some smaller ones you might be less familiar with, such as Toledo Express Airport (TOL) and Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB).

Below is a full list of domestic airports with Global Entry, outlined by region and state:

Northeast

• Massachusetts: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Rhode Island: Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD)
• Connecticut: Bradley International Airport (BDL)
• Vermont: Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV)
• New York: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York Stewart International Airport (SWF)
• New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

South

• Texas: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
• Georgia: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Tennessee: Nashville International Airport (BNA)
• Louisiana: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Mid-Atlantic/Southeast

• Washington, D.C.: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Dulles International Airport (IAD)
• North Carolina: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
• South Carolina: Charleston International Airport (CHS)
• Florida: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Miami International Airport (MIA), Orlando International Airport (MCO), Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), Tampa International Airport (TPA), St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE)

Midwest

• Illinois: Midway International Airport (MDW), O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Indiana: Indianapolis International Airport (IND), South Bend International Airport (SBN)
• Missouri: Kansas City International Airport (MCI), St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
• Ohio: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), Toledo Express Airport (TOL)
• Kentucky: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
• Michigan: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
• Minnesota: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
• Wisconsin: Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)

Western US

• California: John Wayne Airport (SNA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Oakland International Airport (OAK), Ontario International Airport (ONT), Sacramento International Airport (SMF), San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
• Nevada: Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
• Arizona: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Oregon: Portland International Airport (PDX)
• Utah: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
• Washington: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• Colorado: Denver International Airport (DEN)

Alaska/Hawaii/Puerto Rico

• Alaska: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Fairbanks International Airport (FAI)
• Hawaii: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
• Puerto Rico: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)

International Global Entry locations

In addition to the above locations, Global Entry is available at 16 international airports offering preclearance for U.S. travelers, specifically:

Middle East

• United Arab Emirates: Zayed International Airport (AUH)

Caribbean

• Bahamas: Grand Bahama International Airport (FPO), Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS)
• Aruba: Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
• Bermuda: L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA)

North Pacific

• Guam: Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM)
• Northern Mariana Islands: Saipan International Airport (SPN)

Canada

• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
• Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• Ottawa International Airport (YOW)
• Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ)
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (YWG)

Ireland

• Dublin Airport (DUB)
• Shannon Airport (SNN)

Enrollment on Arrival locations

In addition to using Global Entry to pass through U.S. customs, CBP allows travelers who have been conditionally approved for Global Entry to satisfy the interview portion of the application process at 67 (as of July 2025) airports through a process called Enrollment on Arrival.

This service is only available for travelers returning to the U.S. on an international flight. Although appointments are not required, you’ll want to verify the office hours for the airport where you plan to enroll. You can find the hours online.

To locate the appropriate office, “follow the signage directing you to CBP officers who can complete your Global Entry interview during your admissibility inspection,” which should be near the regular customs line, per CBP.

In addition to your passport, remember to bring one document showing proof of residency in your specific state, such as a driver’s license, utility bill, rent payment statement or mortgage statement.

If you enroll in Global Entry, consider using a credit card offering a statement credit for the application fee.

Bottom line

Global Entry is an incredible time-saver, and can be well worth the investment of your energy and money. Better yet, many premium credit cards offer a statement credit for a Global Entry membership (which also comes with TSA PreCheck).

The Points Guy cannot recommend Global Entry highly enough.

For more information about Global Entry, read:

It’s been a frustrating few years for travelers applying to Global Entry, the fast-track airport service that helps passengers speed through passport control after an international flight.

First came the COVID-19 pandemic, which fueled a huge backlog of applicants waiting to schedule an in-person interview — a requirement to join the program, which is operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Then, an unprecedented wave of new travelers applied to join just as international travel demand surged.

But landing an appointment may be getting a little easier.

“The average time to enroll has really decreased across the board,” Matt Davies, CBP executive director for admissibility and passengers programs, told TPG.

How to apply for Global entry

Travelers applying for Global Entry must go through a multi-step process.

First, they apply online through CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs dashboard. Last fall, the program’s enrollment fee rose to $120 for a five-year membership — though some travel credit cards will reimburse the fee. (Keep in mind, a Global Entry membership comes with access to the TSA PreCheck lanes at airport security.)

After applying online, members — usually quite quickly — clear the first approval hurdle, known as “conditional approval.” For four in five applicants, that comes within two weeks, CBP leaders told me last year.

But it’s the second step — an in-person interview with a CBP agent — that’s been the biggest hang-up for travelers hoping to quickly clear the application queue over the last few years.

Read more: Global Entry gets a high-tech, ‘on-the-move’ upgrade at 7 US airports

A big reason: sheer volume.

In 2019, CBP saw a then-record 3.2 million people join its Trusted Traveler Programs — which include services that expedite trips between the U.S. and Canada and/or Mexico (but a majority of the applications were for Global Entry).

Last year, a whopping 4.5 million travelers applied for those programs.

And this year, CBP tells TPG it’s on pace to see at least 4.2 million more.

That crush of applications has, at times, made landing an interview slot challenging for travelers, especially those with fewer windows in their own calendars.

Global Entry wait times​

So what do Global Entry wait times look like today?

If you log on to the CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs website, you’ll see estimated wait times for the agency’s other expedited travel programs. That includes mere days of wait times for a standalone TSA PreCheck membership.

But for Global Entry?

“Times vary,” the site says.

Global Entry application wait times

However, CBP leaders offered some clues, speaking to TPG this month: 52 days to enroll, on average, the agency told TPG.

“We’re seeing that more than 50% of our applicants are getting through within 60 days,” Davies told me, standing inside the passport control facility at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). “Some of that is dependent on the applicant actually scheduling themself for an interview or traveling.”

One thing that could help speed up interview waits: CBP is seeing applicants for some of its non-Global Entry programs “level off” — presumably, that could be tied to a drop-off in travel from Canada to the U.S.

That could potentially free up more agents to do interviews.

What to do if you can’t find a Global Entry interview appointment

In the meantime, what else can travelers do?

Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival

If you’ve been conditionally approved for Global Entry but haven’t been able to get an interview scheduled, there’s another way to skip the longest lines.

CBP offers Enrollment on Arrival, which allows you to conduct your interview after your international flight as you pass through passport control, at dozens of airports that offer Global Entry.

Travelers I’ve heard from who have used this option have routinely said it was a quick and seamless process.

Plus, two major East Coast airports have piloted a new Enrollment on Departure option where applicants can do their Global Entry interview at the airport while waiting for an upcoming flight.

This service is available at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).

Check on the first Monday of the month

Historically, CBP has released new tranches of interview appointments on the first Monday of the month at 9 a.m. local time — so set a reminder on your phone to check for a slot then.

We should note, there are also some third-party services that scan for appointment slots that can help you nail down a time, but may charge a fee — so your better bet may be to exhaust your attempts at finding a slot yourself, first.

Visit an interview location while traveling

Sparse options close to home? If you’re a frequent domestic traveler and know you’ll have some downtime while on the road, see if there’s an appointment available wherever you’ll be visiting.

You can search for appointment times using this CBP tool.

Some pockets of the country can have more availability than others.

Another wave coming?

Looking ahead, CBP anticipates another Global Entry application wave — specifically, for renewals.

After historic sign-ups for the program between 2021 and 2025, a never-before-seen wave of travelers will likely look to re-up membership over the next few years, since memberships run on a five-year cycle.

Fortunately, renewals these days are frequently a far more seamless process than a first-time application, and often don’t require an in-person interview.

After submitting for renewal online in the fall of 2023, my full approval visa came within days. My wife had a similar experience this past spring.

CBP is working on new processes to move the vast majority of existing members through the renewal process that fast.

“We want to get to the point where it’s quick, it’s seamless, it’s easy,” Davies told me, “and really only in the most extreme cases does someone have to do something other than submitting an application before they’re able to continue their membership.”

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