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Boarding in Punta Cana

airdog99
Explorer C

Ok, I just booked a trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for next spring of 2017. My wife and I as well as our 3 children have Global Entry ID's that work basically the same as TSA Pre. Global Entry has worked very well for us when booking flights domestically with no problems but we have never used it on an international flight. When I book domestic flights on Southwest.com there is a place to enter the "Known Traveler Number" when filling in the passenger information before completing the ticket purchase. However, when I purchased tickets this afternoon on Southwest.com for Punta Cana, I noticed that it asked for the basic passenger info like always, but this time it only wanted Passport info instead of the "Known Traveler Number" that it normally asks for. Each of our Known Traveler Numbers are listed in our account profiles on Southwest.com but normally I always have to enter it for each passenger when completing the ticket purchase. 

 

So I guess what I'm asking is... Will our Global Entry ID's work for our trip to/from Chicago to Punta Cana? Do I need to do anything else to make sure it does?

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Boarding in Punta Cana

franktravel
Aviator B

Hi 

 

Basically the global entry is the express lane for coming home from overseas. 

 

Is Global Entry everywhere?

 

Well, no. Currently, there are (45 US airports in the Global Entry program with some scattered in Canada, Guam, and Ireland).  Punta Cana is not on the list so If you have to clear customs there it looks like they do not have Global Entry.  if you have to clear customs in Chicago they do have the glogal entry. 

 

 

Great information found cbp.gov travel

Re: Boarding in Punta Cana

airdog99
Explorer C

I totally understand how Global Entry works... been using it for a while domestically. This will be our first trip for an international flight with Southwest in 2017. Unfortunately, your answer seems to conflict with what I have already come across on the Internet. As you probably already know, you can't always count on the government to keep updated info on their websites. Punta Cana is on the list (according to the articles below) for 2016 expansion into the CBP Preclearance program.

 

Anyone been to Punta Cana recently that would have accurate info?

 

 

https://skift.com/2015/06/01/u-s-customs-add-10-new-foreign-airports-to-its-pre-clearance-program/

 

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/2016-05-16-000000/cbp-announces-2016-preclearanc...

Re: Boarding in Punta Cana

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager
Solution

Hi @airdog99,

 

Global Entry should work for your trip to Punta Cana in 2017. That said, I'm with you - I'd love to hear from other Members of the Community who may have traveled there recently and hear how their experience went. 

 

Re: Boarding in Punta Cana

airdog99
Explorer C

Thanks for the info @LindseyD,

 

Is there something in particular that would make think this way? Maybe some insider information? Thanks again for your reply... Smiley Happy

Re: Boarding in Punta Cana

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager

@airdog99

 

I spoke with our Customer Relations Department, and after doing some quick research, they relayed to me that Punta Cana should be an approved location for the Global Entry Program. 

 

Re: Boarding in Punta Cana

drnewman6
Explorer A

While this says "solved" part of your question seemed to involve why it didn't ask for your KTN, it just asked for your passport information.  The reason is (for some reason) the system does not yet automatically add your KTN to an international flight, as it does for domestic flights.  You have to call SW to have it added to each ticket.  I just booked to Montego Bay a few weeks ago, and their was some type of little pop up that told what to do, when I was purchasing the tickets.  Same thing when we went to Belize.  I think the new system that is supposed to be up and running sometime soon will probably fix this.