I have done a lot of dumb things in my travel career, but one of the smartest things I have ever done is spend $120 on SENTRI. That single decision transformed our relationship with Baja California. We went from avoiding weekend trips because of the brutal border wait to crossing into Mexico on a weeknight for tacos without a second thought.
Here is the full story, including the part where I got denied the first time.
Why We Stopped Going to Baja
Jenice and I live in San Diego. The Tijuana border crossing at San Ysidro is about 20 minutes south of us. We love Baja — the food, the beaches, the wine region in Valle de Guadalupe, the street tacos in Tijuana, the coastal towns along the Pacific. It is one of the best food and travel destinations within driving distance of Southern California.
But for years, we did not go nearly as often as we wanted. The reason was simple: getting back into the US was brutal.
On a typical Sunday afternoon, the pedestrian line at San Ysidro could stretch three to five hours. Standing in the sun, inching forward, watching the minutes tick by. The vehicle lanes were not much better — sometimes four hours bumper-to-bumper. We would factor in the border wait before every trip, and half the time we would talk ourselves out of going because we did not want to lose an entire afternoon standing in line.
Three to five hours in the sun on a Sunday afternoon, waiting in the pedestrian line or sitting in the car, is no bueno. We love Baja, but the math did not work when the border wait ate up half the day.
What Is SENTRI and Global Entry?
SENTRI (Secure Electronic Network for Travelers’ Rapid Inspection) was originally a separate trusted traveler program specifically for US-Mexico land border crossings. It gave you access to dedicated lanes at border crossings like San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, and others along the southern border.
Global Entry is the US Customs and Border Protection program for expedited entry at US airports — walk to a kiosk, scan your passport, skip the regular immigration line.
Until recently, these were separate programs with separate applications and fees. They have now been combined into a single program. Your $120 for five years covers both — dedicated SENTRI lanes at land borders and Global Entry kiosks at international airports. It also includes TSA PreCheck for domestic security at no additional cost.
That is three programs for $120 over five years. $24 per year. Less than $2 per month.
How I Got Denied the First Time
This part matters if you are worried about your application being rejected.
In 2007, I was coming back from a trip to Cambodia. At customs in the US, officers found a Cuban cigar in my bag. At the time, bringing Cuban cigars into the United States was a customs violation regardless of where you bought them — the embargo applied to the product, not the country of purchase. It was one cigar I had picked up at a market. But it went on my record.
When I first applied for the trusted traveler program around that time, I was denied. The customs violation flagged my application. No interview, no appeal, just a rejection.
I was frustrated, but I moved on. For years we stood in that San Ysidro line like everyone else, watching the SENTRI lane move freely while we baked in the sun.
Skip the Line
From 3-5 hour waits to breezing through in minutes.
Getting Approved on the Second Try
A few years ago, I decided to try again. Enough time had passed since the violation, and I had maintained a clean travel record with no issues at any border crossing since. I filled out the application on the Trusted Traveler Programs website, disclosed everything — the cigar, the denial, all of it — and submitted.
A few weeks later, I received conditional approval. I booked an interview at the nearest enrollment center, sat down with a CBP officer, and was completely upfront about the Cuban cigar incident. No hedging, no minimizing. I told the story exactly as it happened.
The officer appreciated the honesty. We talked for maybe ten minutes. At the end, he approved my application on the spot.
The lesson: a past denial does not mean a permanent denial. If you have been rejected before, wait a reasonable amount of time, make sure your record has been clean since, and apply again. Be honest in the interview. CBP officers have seen everything — they are evaluating your trustworthiness, not looking for perfection.
How SENTRI Changed Our Baja Life
After I got approved, everything changed.
The SENTRI lane at San Ysidro is a dedicated lane for trusted travelers. On the worst days — holiday weekends, Sunday evenings — we wait maybe 30 minutes. Most of the time, there is no wait at all. We drive up, the officer scans our cards, asks if we have anything to declare, and we are through. The entire crossing takes less time than it takes to park at the border.
We go to Baja all the time now. Weeknight tacos in Tijuana. Day trips down the coast to Rosarito. Weekend runs to Valle de Guadalupe for wine tasting. Seafood in Puerto Nuevo. The program removed the single biggest barrier to one of our favorite travel experiences.
That five-hour Sunday afternoon wait that used to keep us home? Gone. Replaced by a two-minute scan and a wave-through. The $120 paid for itself on our first trip back.
The Airport Bonus
SENTRI now includes Global Entry, which paid off in a big way on a recent trip. We flew back from an international trip and landed at San Francisco International Airport. Multiple international flights had arrived within the same window, and the immigration hall was packed. The line for regular passport control stretched out the door — people facing an hour-plus wait after sitting on a 12-hour flight.
We walked right past all of it. The Global Entry line had three people in front of us. Scanned the passport, looked at the camera, grabbed the receipt, through in two minutes. We got to the baggage carousel before our checked bags had even come out.
The SENTRI/Global Entry combination covers you at land borders, airports, and domestic security. Three programs for the price of one.
How to Apply
1. Apply online at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. Create a Trusted Traveler Programs account. You will provide personal information, travel history, employment history, and vehicle information for the SENTRI land border benefit. The fee is $120.
2. Wait for conditional approval. CBP runs a background check. This can take a few weeks to a few months. Check your application status regularly by logging into your TTP account.
3. Schedule your interview. Once conditionally approved, schedule an in-person interview at an enrollment center. Centers are at major international airports and some border locations.
4. Attend the interview. Bring your passport. Be honest about everything — past customs violations, previous denials, anything on your record. Transparency is what they are looking for.
5. Get approved. Most people are approved at the end of the interview. Your membership is active immediately.
6. Renew before expiration. Renew online up to one year before your expiration date.
The full timeline from application to active membership is typically two to six months. Do not wait until the week before a Baja trip — apply well in advance.
What If You Have a Past Issue?
A customs violation, a denied application, or a minor issue at a border crossing does not necessarily disqualify you forever. CBP evaluates the totality of your record. A single incident from years ago, followed by years of clean travel, is different from a pattern of violations.
If you have been denied before:
- Wait at least a year before reapplying.
- Disclose everything on your new application — CBP has your records.
- Be honest and direct in the interview. Officers respect candor.
- Maintain a clean record in the interim.
I went from a denied application to full approval on my second attempt. If you are in a similar situation, apply again.
Is It Worth It for Baja Travelers?
If you live anywhere in Southern California and enjoy crossing into Mexico, the SENTRI benefit alone justifies the cost many times over. Add the Global Entry airport benefit and TSA PreCheck, and you are getting three programs for $120 over five years.
Apply at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. Your future self, breezing through the San Ysidro crossing while everyone else waits in the sun, will thank you.